m 


Donated  to 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


^TRACY4RW1N*  STORLR" 


JOHN  BACHMAN 

D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Ph.  D. 


The  Pastor  of  St.  John's  Lutheran  Church,  Charleston. 

» 


CHARLESTON,  S.  C. 
WALKER,  EVANS  &  COGSWELL  Co., 

1888. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


TO    THE    MEMORY 
OF 

REV.  JOHN  BACHMAN  HASKELL, 

WHOSE   UNWEARIED  MINISTRY 

AND 

WATCHFUL   LOVE 

SOOTHED   AND    BRIGHTENED   THE 
CLOSING    YEARS   OF   HIS   GRANDFATHER'S   LIFE, 

THIS  VOLUME   IS 
AFFECTIONATELY    INSCRIBED. 

0.    L.    B. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

YOUTH  AND  TRAINING. 

Ancestry— Birth— Childhood— Early  taste  for  Natural 
History — School  and  College  Life — Training  for  the 
Ministry — Pastor  Braun — Licensed  to  Preach  to 
Three  Churches  in  his  Native  County,  Reimselaer, 
N.  Y.— Ordination  and  Change  of  Field 25 

CHAPTER  II. 

PASTOR  OF  ST.  JOHN'S. 

Called  to  St.  John's  Church,  Charleston,  S.  C.— Early 
Ministry — Laying  of  the  Corner-Stone  of  the  New 
St.  John's— Marriage — John  Nicholas  Martin — 
Birth  of  Daughter— Second  visit  to  his  Northern 
Home 39 

CHAPTER  III. 
THE  NEW  ST.  JOHN'S. 

Dedication  of  the  New  St.  John's — Sunday-School 
Established — Summoned  to  the  North  by  the  Illness 
of  his  Father — Family  Joys  and  Sorrows — The 
Death  of  his  Father  Induces  another  visit  to  his 
Early  Home— Letters  in  1827 53 

CHAPTER  IV. 

ILLNESS. 

1827 — Extreme  Illness  from  a  Fever  contracted  on  the 
"Great  Lakes" — Extracts  from  his  Journal — Letter 
to  his  Vestry — John  G.  Schwartz  takes  Charge  of 
St.  John's  in  the  Absence  of  the  Pastor. ..  ,  65 


Contents. 

CHAPTER  V. 

1827-1833. 

Convalesence  and  return  to  Charleston — A  Homestead 
Built— Death  of  his  Twin  Daughters— Nullification 
—His  aged  Mother— Letters 80 

CHAPTER   VI. 

1823-1835. 

The  Synod  and  Theological  Seminary— Early  History 
of  the  Lutheran  Congregations  at  Ebenezer  and 
Savannah— Visited  by  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's— 
Formation  of  the  South  Carolina  Synod— Theolo- 
gical Seminary  at  Tennessee — Seminary  in  South 
Carolina— Rev.  John  G.  Schwartz— Ernest  Haze- 
lius,  D.  D.— The  Charleston  Church  prospers— 
Letter  from  S.  S.  Schmucker,  D.  D.— Degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity  Conferred  on  the  Pastor  of  St. 
John's 93 

CHAPTER  VII. 

1831-1832. 

Correspondence  with  Audubon — Natural  History— A 
visit  from  the  Naturalist  Audubon — His  Letters 
to  Audubon 109 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

1833. 

Address  on  Horticulture — Essay  on  the  Migration  of 
Birds 124 

CHAPTER  IX. 
LABORS  IN  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

1832  to  1835— Letters  to  Audubon  and  his  Sons— Suc- 
cessful Labors  in  Botany  and  Natural  History — 
Anecdote  of  Oemler  the  Enthusiastic  Botanist — 
The  Visit  of  Audubon  and  his  Family  — Mr. 
Edward  Harris,  of  Morristown,  N.  J.— A  Night 
with  the  Hunters  at  Liberty  Hall 147 

vi 


Contents. 
CHAPTER  X. 

BACH  MAN    AND   AUDUBON. 

1837— Union  Between  the  Families  of  Bachman  and 
Audubon— The  Home— Letters  to  Audubon,  and 
to  his  Son,  John  W.  Audubon  -Visit  to  Balti- 
more —  Letter  to  Mr.  Edward  Harris  —  Failing 
Health 160 

CHAPTER  XI. 

VISIT   TO   EUROPE. 

Arduous  Duties — Broken  Health — Letter  to  Vestry 
Asking  Leave  of  Absence — Farewell  Sermon — Re- 
ception at  London  by  Audubon — Diagnosis  of  Case 
by  Eminent  London  Physicians— Journey  to  Scot- 
land in  Company  with  Audubon  —  Journal  of 
European  Travel — Switzerland — Lake  Constance — 
Germany — Society  of  Naturalists  at  Freyburg — 
Berlin— Humboldt— Paris— Return  of  Unfavorable 
Symptoms— London  —  Visit  to  Earl  of  Derby- 
Elected  Foreign  Correspondent  of  Zoological  So- 
ciety, London  —  Letter  from  John  E.  Gray  — 
Family  Letters — Return — Double  Union  Between 
the  Families  of  Bachman  and  Audubon 182 

CHAPTER  XII. 

PASSING  UNDER  THE  ROD. 

Family  Letters  —  Mrs.  Jacob  Martin  —  Death  of  his 
Daughters — The  Secret  of  Large  Sympathy 198 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS. 

Degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy  Conferred — Elected  to 
Various  Scientific  and  Literary  Societies  in  Europe 
and  America— St.  John's  Church  Colonizes — Let- 
ters to  Audubon  on  his  Return  from  Rocky  Moun- 
tains— Quadrupeds  of  North  America  —  Visit  to 
Audubon — His  Daughter  Julia — Joy  at  the  Birth 
of  his  First  Grandson— Family  Letters 217 

vii 


Contents. 
CHAPTER  XIV. 

AFFLICTION. 

Death  of  Mrs.  Bachman — Letters  to  the  Family — Let- 
ters to  Audubon 227 

CPIAPTER  XV. 

FATHER  AND  DAUGHTER. 

245 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

PROFESSOR  AND  STUDENTS. 

Depression  of  Spirits— Revival  of  Hope— Narrow  Es- 
cape from  Loss  of  Eyesight— Letters  to  Victor 
Audubon  while  Publishing  Quadrupeds  of  North 
America — Agassiz — Attends  a  Meeting  of  General 
Synod,  Convened  at  New  York — Visits  Audubon — 
Letter  from  Hon.  Mitchell  King— Elected  to  Chair 
of  Natural  History  in  Charleston  College— Anec- 
dotes   265 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
His  SECOND  MARRIAGE. 

Health  Fails — Sojourn  at  Madison  Springs — Visit  from 
Victor  Audubon— Letter  to  Edward  Harris— Quad- 
rupeds of  North  America— His  Part  in  the  Work 282 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
LETTERS  AND  JOURNEYS. 

1852 — Letter  on  Education  of  Daughters— Visit  to  Eu- 
faula— A  Letter  of  Invitation  to  the  North — The 
Invitation  Accepted —Tour  of  the  Great  Lakes— 
Jared  P.  Kirtland,  M.  D.. 294 

viii 


Contents. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

LITERARY   WORK. 

Open-air  Preparation  for  Literary  Work— Dictation  to 
Amanuensis— Personal  Recollections  of  Dr.  Sum- 
mers, and  of  Dr.  John  G.  Morris — Literary  Club- 
Adventures  of  a  Club-night— Unity  of  the  Human 
Race 305 

CHAPTER  XX. 

SCIENTIFIC  LABORS. 

An  Examination  of  the  Characteristics  of  Genera  and 
Species — An  Examination  of  Prof.  Agassiz'  "Natu- 
ral Provinces" — Humboldt's  Letter  Destroyed— 
Letter  from  Henry  B.  Schoolcraft,  Indian  Commis- 
sioner  317 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

DEFENCE  OF  LUTHER. 

Personal  Recollections,  by  Dr.  Summers— Defence  of 
Luther  and  the  Reformation — Lines  on  a  Fly- 
Leaf,  by  John  L.  Girardeau,  D.  D.— Natural  History 
for  Children— Hobbies— Snuff... 329 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

A  VISIT  TO  FLORIDA. 

Scientific  and  Pastoral  Work — In  the  Home— The 
Mirabilis — His  Amanuensis— Anxious  Hours— A 
Successful  Hunt— Visit  to  Florida 341 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
WORK  FOR  THE  CHURCH. 

At  Sixty-eight  Vigorous  and  Hopeful— Even  Tenor  of 
Life  Broken  by  Death  of  a  Beloved  Daughter— Ser- 
mon on  Forty-third  Anniversary  of  Ministry  in 
Charleston— As  Preacher  and  Pastor — Progressive 
Spirit — Southern  Book  of  Worship — A  Common 
Service — Lutheranism  Sturdy  and  Uncompromis- 
ing—Newberry  College — Drs. 'Stork  and  Brown 353 

ix 


Contents. 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 

THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WAR. 

Colored  Congregation  —  His  Defence  —  Old  Plenty  — 
Boston  Draytori — Bishop  Payne— Jehu  Jones— Ser- 
mon on  Duty  of  the  Christian  to  his  Country — 
The  Ordinance  of  Secession — Letter  to  Edmund 
Ruffin— Takes  on  Hospital  Stores  to  Virginia— A 
Comforter  to  his  Grandson — Measles— Unexpected 
Visitors— Bread  Cast  on  the  Waters— Found  In- 
sensible—St.  John's  Church  Closed 372 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

DURING   THE    WAR. 

Christmas,  1863— The  Children's  Festival —Death  of 
his  Wife  — Visit  to  Concord— Letters— Charleston 
Evacuated — He  leaves  for  Columbia — Encounters 
the  Federal  Army  at  Cash's  Station— Cruel  Treat- 
ment—Return to  Charleston — St.  John's  Re-open- 
ed—The  Congregation  Poor  but  United — Feeble- 
ness and  Failing  Eyesight 387 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

AFTER  THE  WAR. 

An  Assistant  Pastor  Engaged — Address  on  Humboldt 
—Fifty-fifth  Anniversary  Sermon  —  Rev.  W.  W. 
Hicks  Elected  Co-Pastor-Proposed  Enlargement 
of  St.  John's— Opposition— The  Scheme  Abandon- 
ed—Resignation of  Co-Pastor  Accepted  —  Rev. 
John  H.  Honour  Elected  Associate  Pastor — Fruit 
After  Many  Days — A  Grandson  Studies  for  the 
Ministry 406 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

ILLNESS  AND  CONVALESENCE. 

Letter  from  J.  A  Brown,  D.  D.,  and  Dr.  Bachman's 
Reply— From  Rev.  J.  B.  Haskell— Reply  to  Letters 
from  Milestown,  Pa.  —  Correspondence  Between 
John  Haskell  and  his  Grandfather— Letters  to  A. 
R.  Rude,  p.  D.— Mr.  John  S.  Fake— Rev.  T.  W. 
Dosh— Bereavement— Decline 423 


Contents. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
THE    CLOSE    OF    LIFE. 

From  John  Haskell's  Diary  — From  Dr.  Wightman— 
Dr.  A.  R.  Rude— J.  F.  Ficken,  Esq.— Memorial 
Services— Lines  by  Prof.  W.  J.  Rivers— Bachman 
Endowment  Fund— Mural  Tablet  in  St.  John's 
Church 434 


TO   THE    READER. 


The  materials  for  the  Biography  of  JOHX 
BACHMAN,  D.  D.,  were  collected  with  great 
labor  and  pains  by  his  grandson,  the  late 
Rev.  John  Bachman  Haskell,  the  appointed 
biographer,  who  wrote.1  "/  think  that  the 
Biography,  well  done,  would  be  worth  my  poor 
life"  The  accomplishment  of  this  labor  of 
love  was  frustrated  by  the  protracted  illness 
that  preceded  his  death. 

In  compliance  with  his  injunctions,  the 
attempt  has  been  made  to  weave  the  materials 
collected  according  to  his  plan — "  Let  him 
speak  for  himself,  whenever  it  is  possible" 

A  biography  written  by  a  near  relative 
has  its  merits  and  its  disadvantages.  On  the 
one  hand,  the  pen  of  a  stranger  could  not 


us  readily  indicate  the  springs  of  action,  or 
give  the  liner  touches  to  character;  on  the 
other  hand,  unconsciously,  love  may  some- 
times look  with  too  partial  an  eye.  The 
reader  must  be  the  judge  ;  we  could  only 
adopt  the  principle  laid  down — tf  Let  him 
xpeak  for  himself." 

The  letters  to  Audubon  take  a  prominent 
place,  from  the  fact  that  they  have  been  pre- 
served, while  others  of  equal,  or  of  greater 
interest,  at  least  to  the  Church,  have  been 
destroyed. 

Although  the  name  of  BACH  MAX  is  closely 
interwoven  with  the  early  life  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  in  the  South,  yet  the  details  of  his 
labors  here  would  weary  the  general  reader, 
and  would,  necessarily,  have  been  very  imper- 
fect. 

Many  of  the  letters  written,  while  passing 
under  the  rod,  seem  too  sacred  for  the  critical 
eye  of  the  public.  But  without  these  we  could 
neither  give  the  reader  a  glimpse  into  the 
tender,  loving  heart  of  the  man  and  the  father, 
nor  could  he  trace  the  growth  of  that  marvel- 
lous sympathy  which  enabled  JOHN  BACH- 
MAN  to  enter  into  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  his 
fellow-men,  almost  as  if  thev  were  his  own. 


Valued  tributes  from  the  pulpit  and  the 
press,  and  memorial  offerings  from  many 
friends,  in  prose  and  verse,  we  have  been 
compelled  to  omit  on  account  of  the  narrow 
limits  of  this  commemorative  volume. 

C.  L.  BACHMAX. 
Charleston,  1888. 


CHAPTER  I. 
YOUTH  AND  TRAINING. 

ANCESTRY  —  BIRTH — CHILDHOOD  —  EARLY  TASTE  FOR    NATURAL 

HISTORY — SCHOOL  AND  COLLEGE  LIFE — TRAINING  FOR  THE 
MINISTRY — PASTOR  BRAUN — LICENSED  TO  PREACH  TO  THREE 
CONGREGATIONS  IN  HIS  NATIVE  COUNTY,  EENNSELAER,  N.  Y. — 
ORDINATION  AND  CHANGE  OF  FIELD. 

JOHN  BACHMAN  has  left  us  in  his  own  hand- 
J  writing  a  few  records,  and  very  few,  of  his 
ancestry.  He  laid  no  undue  stress  on  descent ; 
yet  would  often  say  to  his  family,  "  I  rejoice  that 
I  have  come  from  an  excellent  stock  ;  for  good,  pure 
blood  shows  itself  in  men,  as  well  as  in  animals,  and 
thus  far  I  prize  it.'; 

In  1858,  he  wrote  a  sketch  of  his  life  for  a  scien- 
tific journal  in  Europe.  In  it  he  says  : 

"  My  paternal  ancestor,  was  a  native  of  the  Can- 
ton of  Berne,  Switzerland.  After  visiting  England, 
he  came  to  America  as  private  Secretary  to  William 
Perm.  Finally  he  settled  near  Easton,  Penn,  As  a 
reward  for  faithful  services  rendered  to  the  infant 
Colony,  the  Government  granted  him  two  Town- 
ships of  land  called,  '  Upper  and  Lower  Sackeny/ 
which  are  now  settled  by  his  numerous  descendants. 
He  was  the  seventh  generation  from  the  above.  My 
ancestors  on  my  mother's  side,  were  from  the 
kingdom  of  Wiirtemberg,  Germany." 


10  John  Bachman. 

His  branch  of  the  family  removed  to  Dutchess 
Co.,  N.  Y. 

His  father,  Jacob  Bachman,  lived  in  the  little 
town  of  Rheinbeck,  near  Schagticoke  He  was  a 
successful  farmer,  who  provided  well  for  the  com- 
fort of  his  family.  His  mother,  Eva,  possessed 
sterling  qualities ;  both  parents  were  godly,  active 
members  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  in  the  Gilead 
Pastorate,  N.  Y. 

The  family  consisted  of  one  daughter,  Eva,  and 
three  sons,  Jacob,  Henry  and  John.  The  youngest 
son,  John,  is  the  subject  of  this  memoir. 

Rev.  J.  N.  Barnett,  writing  of  the  pastorate  of 
Gilead,  says :  "  A  century  ago  their  devotion  chal- 
lenges our  admiration.  Who  now  could  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  wade  through  deep  snow  for  miles 
to  attend  Divine  service  in  mid-winter,  where  no 
heating  device  was  countenanced  ?"  "  One  old 
gentleman,"  (still  living),  "  remembers  to  have 
heard  his  mother  tell  of  carrying  her  children 
through  cold  and  snow,  a  distance  of  three  miles,  to 
that  un warmed  Church,  to  sit  through  services 
lasting  almost  the  entire  day."  "These  things  are 
recorded  in  honor  of  the  earnest  and  faithful  men 
and  women,  from  whom  the  worshippers  of  to-day 
are  descended ;  who,  in  defiance  of  wintry  storms 
and  summer  heats  forsook  not  the  assembling  of 
themselves  together  about  the  altar  of  their  God 
and  Saviour.'1  This  is  the  good  stock  that  John 
Bachman  prized,  and  this  the  hardy  training  of  his 
early  life. 


His  Ancestry.  11 

Among  these  sturdy,  church-loving  people  he  was 
born,  February  4th,  1790,  in  the  town  of  Rheinbeck, 
Dutchess  County,  State  of  New  York.  In  due  time, 
with  much  rejoicing,  the  baby  of  the  family  was 
taken  to  the  old  Stone  Church  and  received  the  Sac- 
rament of  Baptism. 

We  recall  many  sweet  pictures  that  he  has  left  us 
of  his  childhood's  home.  As  a  boy  he  loved  to  sit 
beside  his  father  and  ask  him  about  his  forefathers. 

The  name  of  his  first  American  ancestor,  the  sec- 
retary of  William  Perm,  he  has  not  recorded.  Yet. 
it  was  surely  an  inspiration  to  the  bright  lad,  to  re- 
member that  his  ancestor  was  no  drone,  no  ignorant 
rustic,  content  simply  to  labor  as  a  bread-winner. 
He  was  conscious  that  this  legendary  fore-father 
possessed  a  liberal  education  for  his  day.  It  pleased 
him  to  know  that  he  was  a  brave  and  fearless 
worker,  amidst  the  wilds  and  dangers  of  an  infant 
colony.  He  rejoiced  to  feel  that  the  Peace-maker, 
William  Penn,  had  made  no  unwise  selection  when 
he  chose  a  Bachman  for  his  secretary — as  the  grant 
of  townships  by  the  Government  gave  conclusive 
evidence. 

He  delighted  to  hear,  too,  of  the  sturdy,  loyal 
stock  who  remained  in  Switzerland — the  Bachrnans 
of  Berne.  We  fancy  that  we  can  see  the  boy  eagerly 
questioning  his  father  about  Lieutenant- General 
Bachman,  of  the  Swiss  Guard,  who  lost  his  life  in 
defence  of  the  unfortunate  Louis  XVI,  of  France, 
when  John  was  two  years  of  age.  The  boy's  pulse 
must  surely  have  quickened  when  he  remembered 


12  John  Bachman. 

that  the  same  blood  which  flowed  in  the  veins  of 
the  martyred  hero,  flowed  in  his.  Thirty-eight 
years  later  he  stood  upon  the  soil  of  his  forefathers. 
The  grandeur  and  loveliness  of  the  lake  and  moun- 
tain scenery  held  him  spell-bound.  At  the  western 
extremity  of  Lake  Lucerne  stands  the  city  of  the 
same  name;  and  here  he  looked  upon  the  monument 
designed  by  Thorwaldsen,  in  memory  of  those  eight 
hundred  Swiss  who  bravely  sought,  but  failed,  to 
defend  the  King,  in  the  palace  of  the  Tuileries, 
Paris,  1792.  Few  works  of  art,  it  is  said,  so  pro- 
foundly impress  the  beholder. 

The  famous  "Lion  of  Lucerne"  is  twenty-eight 
feet  in  length.  It  is  chiselled  out  of  the  living 
rock  on  the  side  of  a  precipice.  The  gigantic,  mighty 
king  of  the  forest  is  dying ;  his  paw  rests  protect- 
ingly  upon  the  Bourbon  shield,  while  the  broken, 
fatal  spear,  still  pierces  his  side.  Above  the  sculp- 
ture is  the  motto, 

"Helvetiorum  Fidei  ac  Virtuti,"  (To  the  fidelity  and 
valor  of  the  Swiss.) 

At  the  base  is  the  roll  of  honor — on  one  side  are 
the  names  of  Commanders,  twenty-eight  in  number, 
"  Commanders  who  fell  most  bravely  fighting."  The 
name  of  Lieutenant-General  Bachman  is  the  second 
on  the  list;  and  the  chronicler  of  that  bloody  de- 
fence, records  that  "Lieutenant-General  Bachman 
was  the  soul  of  the  expedition." 
,  John's  father  fought  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
John  was  nine  years  of  age  when  the  news  reached 


Recollections  of  his  Childhood.  13 

the  little  town  of  Rheinbeck,  that  Washington  lay 
ill  unto  death.  How  eagerly  must  the  boy  have 
listened  to  his  father,  as  he  described  his  beloved 
Chief,  as  he  had  last  seen  him:  "A  grand  man. 
over  six  feet  in  height,  seated  gracefully  and  firmly 
in  his  saddle,  with  a  gentleness  and  graciousness  of 
manner,  that  bespoke  the  Statesman,  rather  than 
the  Warrior ;  and  an  attention  to  personal  appear- 
ance that  suited  the  festive  hall,  rather  than  the 
wilds  of  Virginia."  Then  his  mother  spoke  of  "  Lady 
Washington,"  how  she  had  presided  over  the  "  Fed- 
eral Court "  with  stately  courtesy  and  high  toned 
breeding. 

Perhaps,  most  of  all,  he  liked  to  hear  his  father 
tell  of  Washington's  exploits  as  a  hunter;  how  keen, 
wary  and  successful  he  had  been  in  field-sports,  even 
in  boyhood. 

At  that  time  there  were  but  thirteen  States  in  the 
Union.  The  telegraph  and  other  modern  inventions 
for  transmitting  news,  were  yet  unknown ;  tidings 
came  very  slowly  from  the  sick  chamber  at  Mount 
Vernon,  where  the  beloved  chief  lay  on  his  death 
bed.  At  length  a  courier  with  dispatches  rode  up 
in  haste ;  the  great  General  and  the  first  President 
of  the  United  States,  was  dead.  This  sad  event, 
that  cast  a  gloom  over  the  whole  country,  occurred 
December  14th,  1799. 

In  a  few  hours  it  was  known  in  every  farm-house 
in  the  little  town  of  Rheinbeck  that  Washington 
was  dead.  Every  detail  of  his  last  illness  was 
quickly  gathered  up,  and  even  the  children  paused 


14  Jolt n  Bachman. 

to  listen.  John  remembered  the  grief  and  excite- 
ment, and  the  preparations  for  what,  in  the  simple 
village  talk,  was  called  "  Washington's  mock  funeral." 
In  every  city  and  town,  processions  were  formed 
that  marched  with  badges  of  mourning  through  the 
principal  streets  to  the  churches,  where  suitable 
services  were  held  and  eulogies  pronounced.  In 
old  age  John  Bach  man  would  tell  his  grandchildren, 
"  When  a  boy  in  Rheinbeck,  I  followed  the  proces- 
sion at  "Washington's  mock  funeral." 

Those  were  days  of  stirring  deeds  in  other  lands. 
The  old  gazettes  were  anxiously  expected  ;  when 
they  arrived,  the  sturdy  tanner,  in  the  evenings, 
laid  aside  his  pipe  and  read  to  the  assembled  family 
the  last  foreign  news — the  announcement  that  the 
English  General,  Nelson,  had  destroyed  the  French 
fleet  in  Aboukir  Bay.  At  another  time,  that  the 
French  General,  with  ten  thousand  men.  after 
storming  Jaffa,  was  retreating  to  Egypt,  leaving  a 
burning  track  behind  him.  Among  the  listening 
group,  John  was  the  eager  questioner.  Later  the 
news  came,  "  Napoleon  has  taken  possession  of  the 
Tuileries  and  is  declared  first  Consul,"  and,  finally, 
"that  he  had  been  crowned  Emperor  of  France.'' 
Perhaps  the  boy  wondered  why  God  had  permitted 
the  slaughter  of  the  brave  Swiss  Guard  while  de- 
fending poor  King  Louis,  whom  the  mob  so  soon 
put  to  death,  and  yet  allowed  Napoleon  to  be  crowned 
Emperor  of  France.  At  least,  it  is  not  unlikely  that 
his  ambitious  soul  was  fired  by  these  stories  of  great 
men  and  great  deeds. 


.4  fouitg  Naturalist.  15 

A  stronger  influence,  however,  was  at  hand.  When 
he  was  eleven  years  old,  Rev.  Anthon  T.  Braun 
became  pastor  of  the  church  at  Schagticoke. 

The  noble  example,  intellectual  attainments,  and 
earnest  spirit  of  Pastor  Braun,  left  their  impress  on 
the  susceptible  spirit  of  his  young  parishioner. 
Parental  training  had  already  broken  for  him  the 
fallow  ground,  and  prepared  the  mind  of  the  boy 
for  the  reception  of  the  good  seed.  The  family  dis- 
cipline of  our  fathers  would,  in  our  day,  be  con- 
sidered severe ;  yet  the  reverence  of  the  child  for 
the  parent  and  pastor,  did  not  interfere  with  mutual 
love;  and  childhood  was  not  less  happy  or  buoyant 
than  to  day. 

The  subject  of  this  memoir  tells  us,  "  From  my 
earliest  childhood  I  had  an  irrepressible  desire  for  the 
study  of  Natural  History."  Alluding  to  this  period, 
his  grandson,  the  Rev.  John  B.  Haskell,  has  drawn 
the  following  picture : 

"  In  our  mind's  eye,  we  see  the  little  fellow,  after 
the  day's  work  has  been  done,  running  off,  with 
rapid  stride  and  beaming  face,  to  wander  over  the 
hillsides,  where,  perchance,  he  might  meet  his 
friends,  the  squirrels,  the  chipmunk,  or  the  many 
feathered  fellow-citizens  of  the  wood. 

"Then  we  see  him  lying  beneath  some  shady  tree 
upon  the  bank  of  a  stream  watching,  wTith  his  roving 
blue  eyes,  the  steady  flow  of  the  waters  Is  he 
dreaming?  Is  he  poetizing?  Nay;  for  suddenly 
we  see  the  bright  eye  brighten  in  the  intensity  of 
its  gaze,  and  following  the  eager  look,  we  see  slowly 


16  John  Bacliman. 

rising  from  the  still  surface,  near  the  opposite  bank, 
a  round,  dark  head,  with  soft,  lustrous  brown  eyes, 
glancing  timidly  around ;  then  another  little  head 
appears,  and  losing  all  fear  in  the  certainty  of 
safety,  the  beavers  boldly  gambol  and  play  up  and 
down,  to  and  fro,  upon  the  stream  ;  till,  their  recrea- 
tion over,  they  settle  down  to  their  business  in 
a  sober  way.  This  change  of  action,  discovers  to 
the  looker  on,  the  little  John  Bachman,  an  un- 
finished beaver-dam,  encroaching  into  the  quiet 
brook.  So  our  young  naturalist  studies  the  habits 
of  the  beaver.  Suddenly  the  stillness  of  the  evening 
is  broken  by  the  distant  sound  of  a  bell.  Every 
beaver  stops  his  work,  and  raises  his  head.  We  see 
a  disappointed  look  steal  into  the  watching  eyes 
that  peep  through  the  willows  on  the  bank  ;  the 
young  enthusiast  would  rather  lose  his  supper,  than 
the  opportunity  of  delightful  observation.  Again, 
and  louder  sounds  the  clear  bell ;  it  is  the  prayer- 
bell  ;  the  boy  leaps  to  his  feet ;  the  little  masons 
disappear  with  loud  flappings  of  their  trowel-like 
tails;  and  presto,  the  scene  has  changed  to  the 
farm-house,  where  the  early  evening  meal  has 
already  ended.  It  is  the  thanksgiving  hour,  and 
the  household  kneels  to  seek,  as  the  last  united  act 
of  the  day,  Divine  protection. 

"The  loving  mother  has  saved  the  boy's  supper 
and  gives  it  to  him,  but  not  without  the  well 
merited  rebuke  for  absence  from  the  evening  meal. 
Then  the  father  turns  to  his  paper  and  his  pipe ; 
the  mother  gives  permission,  and  John  is  off  like  an 


A  Yoimg  Naturalist.  17 

arrow  to  the  little  rocky  glen  where  the  Pewee  has 
his  nest. 

"Such  are  the  faint  pictures  of  his  childhood,  like 
some  old  ambrotype,  or  ancient  photograph,  with 
little,  but  the  faded  outlines,  left ;  yet  sweet  to  us 
with  memories,  and  bright  to  us  with  beauty." 

The  schools  of  that  day  gave  no  long  summer 
holidays,  and  on  Saturdays,  only  an  occasional 
half  holiday  ;  but  when  books  were  laid  aside,  he 
was  free  to  follow  the  bent  of  his  inclination,  and,  to 
his  heart's  content,  explore  the  valley  and  hill-side. 

Slavery  still  existed  at  that  time  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  and  like  all  his  well-to-do  neighbors, 
Jacob  Bachman  owned  slaves.  John,  merry  and 
daring,  was  idolized  by  these  servants;  especially 
by  George,  whose  delight  it  was  to  accompany  his 
young  master  into  the  woods,  and  to  assist  him  to 
entrap  animals  and  birds. 

The  boy's  investigating  spirit  impelled  him,  under 
ma.ny  difficulties,  to  make  further  research.  He 
writes:  "Such  were  the  prejudices  existing  in  the 
community  in  those  early,  unenlightened  days, 
against  the  supposed  trifling  pursuits  of  Natural 
History,  that  I  pursued  my  investigations  by 
stealth,  and  labored  without  those  guides  which 
numerous  scientific  works  now  present." 

One  day,  in  Troy,  perhaps,  he  met  with  several 
volumes  at  the  book-sellers,  that  he  ardently  desired 
to  possess.  A  happy  thought  came  into  the  mind 
of  the  young,  aspiring  naturalist :  "  I  will  earn  the 
money  and  buy  the  books.  George  will  help  me  to 


18  John  Bachman. 

catch  the  beaver  and  other  fur-bearing  animals, 
and  I  can  sell  the  skins."  The  plan  succeeded ;  in 
course  of  time  the  books  were  bought.  He  loved  to 
tell  his  grandchildren  how  he  sold  his  furs  and 
purchased  the  coveted  volumes. 

His  mother  was  proud  of  her  little  student.  In 
his  reminiscences  he  tells  us,  "  My  mother  made 
room  for  my  treasures,  and  on  very  cold,  rainy 
evenings  I  had  a  fire  in  the  '  spare  room,'  where  I 
could  stud}-  in  quiet." 

Very  early  in  life  he  asked'his  father  to  send  him 
to  college.  He  had  procured  a  Latin  grammar,  and 
was  studying  alone.  No  doubt  Pastor  Braun  was 
then  called  upon  to  direct  his  Greek  and  Latin 
studies ;  and  for  recreation  he  had  his  few  precious 
books  on  the  Natural  Sciences. 

He  was  strong  in  body,  buoyant  of  spirit,  and 
hopeful  in  temperament.  Very  ready  was  he  to 
take  part  in  all  out-door  games  that  required  swift- 
ness of  foot,  or  accuracy  of  eye. 

One  day  a  great  honor  was  conferred  upon  the 
youth.  The  United  States  Exploring  Expedition 
decided  to  make  a  visit  to  the  Oneida  Indians. 
Mr.  Knickerbocker  required  a  secretary,  and  John 
Bachman  was  selected  to  accompany  him  in  that 
capacity.  -  It  was,  doubtless,  a  proud  moment  for 
the  youth,  and  certainly  must  have  recalled  to  his 
mind  his  old  ancestor,  who  came  from  England  to 
America  as  secretary  to  William  Penn.  With  the 
blessing  of  father  and  mother  he  started  with  the 
party. 


College  Life.  19 

In  those  days,  of  course,  quill  pens  being  used, 
the  young  Secretary  was  required  to  procure  these 
for  himself — and,  as  crow  quills  wore  abundant,  im- 
mediately he  begun  to  make  a  large  collection  of.  the 
same. 

He  writes  :  "  Because  I  collected  crow  quills,  the 
Indians,  in  derision,  gave  me  the  soubriquet  of 
'  Crow  Quill ; '  "  soon  after,  however,  we  went  on  a 
Moose  hunt.  I  took  good  aim,  fired  away,  and  heard 
them  hallo  :  u  Oh,  you've  killed  him — you've  killed 
him."  So  the  Indians  changed  my  name  to  "  Big 
Moose"  This  took  place  in  the  western  part  of  the' 
State  of  New  York ;  the  skin  and  the  horns  of  the 
Moose  were  taken  home  by  the  party  and  preserved 
in  New  York  as  a  trophy." 

AVhen  the  time  arrived  for  John  to  enter  college, 
Williams  College,  Massachusetts,  was  selected.  He 
was  just  a  little  shy,  but  was  found  well  prepared  to 
enter  the  Freshman  Class.  Some  of  the  Boston  boys 
called  the  boys  from  Rheinbeck,  in  contempt, 
"  Dutchmen."  John  bore  it  for  a  time ;  on  one  occa- 
sion, however,  when  the  parties  met  at  the  head  of  the 
steps,  and  "Get  out  of  the  way,  you  Dutchmen,"  was 
the  taunt,  John,  boiling  over  with  wrath,  sprang  for- 
ward, seized  one  of  his  tormentors  by  the  arm,  and 
sent  him  rolling  down  the  steps.  From  the  impetus 
he  took  a  little  tumble  himself,  but  the  class  cheered, 
and  the  Rheinbeck  boys  henceforth  were  unmo- 
lested. 

As  the  years  rolled  by,  he  became  more  and  more 
absorbed  in  his  studies  ;  he  sat  up  night  after  night 


20  John  Bachman. 

studying  and  thinking.  He  who  had  been  a  hardy 
lad,  breathing  the  pure  country  air,  became  a  book- 
worm. No  more  merry  snow-balling,  no  more  out- 
door, invigorating  exercise.  Suddenly,  one  day,  he 
feels  a  sharp  and  racking  pain — the  brain  has  been 
over-fed,  and  the  body  denied  its  needful  rest.  The 
result  was  not  strange,  but  to  the  ardent  student 
startling  and  unlocked  for — he  had  a  hemorrhage 
of  the  lungs,  and  was  forced,  just  as  he  was  about 
to  gain  the  goal  of  his  ambition,  to  leave  college 
without  graduating.*  It  was  a  bitter  and  humili- 
ating trial  to  him.  He  returned  home  weak  and 
despondent.  When  strong  enough,  he  roamed 
through  the  woody  glens,  and,  resting  under  the 
shade  of  a  tree,  carved  his  name  on  the  bark. 
But  the  healthful  mother  —  Nature  —  was  doing 
her  appointed  work.  Sunlight  and  pure  air,  were 
her  tonics;  and,  by  degrees,  hope  revived,  and 
strength  of  mind  and  body  were  renewed.  Ambi- 
tious thoughts  and  aspirations  again  possessed  his 
soul — but  what  avenue  of  distinction  was  now  open 
to  him  ?  After  much  reflection,  he  selected  the  law 
as  a  profession;  procured  the  books,  and  became 
interested  in  the  study — still  there  was  ever  an 
unrest,  an  unsatisfied  craving,  within  him. 

His  parents,  from  infancy,  had  instructed  him  in 
the  Word  of  God — "  Thy  Word  is  a  lamp  unto  my 
feet,  and  a  light  unto  my  path."  One  Sunday  he 
took  down  an  old  volume  from  his  father's  book- 

*Tke  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  was  afterwards  conferred 
upon  him  by  Williams  College. 


His  Calling.  21 

shelf,  entitled  "Luther  on  Galatians;"  he  read  and 
re-read  ;  the  book  sent  him  to  his  Bible,  with  prayer ; 
new,  higher,  and  holier  aspirations,  arose  in  his 
youthful  soul — Jesus  Christ,  through  St.  Paul  and 
Luther,  had  sent  him  a  special  message.  He  had 
often  read,  "  Thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a  son, 
an  heir  of  God  through  faith;"  but,  to-day,  the 
inspired  words  move  his  soul  as  they  had  never 
done  before. 

The  next  morning  he  opened  his  law-book,  but 
could  not  fix  his  mind  upon  the  subject ;  throwing 
it  aside,  he  took  his  Bible  and  Luther  on  Galatians, 
and  went  into  the  woods.  As  he  read  and  communed 
with  his  own  heart,  he  saw  no  vision  and  heard  no 
voice,  save  the  still,  small  voice  of  his  God.  He 
said,  "  Speak,  Lord ;  here  am  I,"  and  the  message 
came  to  his  soul,  "Go  thou  and  preach. to  others 
the  glad  tidings  that  have  set  you  free."  Say  to 
every  prisoner  of  hope,  "  The  just  shall  live  by 
faith." 

God  had  a  definite  work  for  him,  and  the  glory 
of  his  life,  henceforth,  was  to  do  the  will  of  Him 
that  sent  him. 

His  mother  was  the  first  to  mark  his«thoughtful 
brow,  and  before  long,  his  parents  and  Pastor 
Braun  were  made  acquainted  with  his  hopes  and 
aspirations.  All  approved  heartily,  and  rejoiced  at 
his  decision.  He  was  confirmed,  and  became 
Pastor  Braun's  student.  The  early  part  of  his 
student-life  was  spent  under  the  roof  of  this  faith- 
ful friend  and  pastor.  But,  after  a  time,  John 


22  John  Bachntan. 

craved  advantages  that  his  village  home  could  not 
offer  him. 

"  I  had  intended,"  he  writes,  "  to  defray  my  own 
expenses  by  teaching,  while  studying  for  tht> 
ministry.  First  I  went  to  Frankfort.  Penn.,  where 
I  remained  nearly  a  year.  On  a  short  visit  to 
Philadelphia,  I  met  again  the  ornithologist,  Wilson, 
and  his  nephew,  William  Duncan.  Wilson  had 
taught  near  Germantown,  at  El  wood  School,  Miles- 
town,  and  Duncan  was  his  successor ;  the  position 
then  vacant,  was  offered  to  me.  Both  Wilson  and 
Duncan  urged  me  to  accept  it.  I  taught  at  Elwood 
for  a  year.  The  school  flourished  in  numbers  ;  but 
was  conducted  in  a  very  primitive  fashion ;  the 
pupils  were  of  both  sexes  and  of  all  ages.  A  small 
class  in  Latin,  one  in  French,  and  one  in  German, 
were,  with  difficulty,  kept  up  during  my  short  stay." 
But  Philadelphia  was  the  goal  of  his  wishes. 
Probably  his  friend,  Rev.  Philip  Mayer,  contributed 
to  bring  about  this  change.  He  taught  in  Phila- 
delphia a  year,  when  his  studies  were  so  far  com- 
pleted, that  he  was  licensed  to  preach. 

It  was  probably  during  his  early  student-life  that 
this  reminiscence  belongs.  The  singing  was  ex- 
ecrable in  the  old  Church  of  which  he  was  a  member. 
Although  no  musician  himself,  he  always  loved 
good  singing.  He  set  to  work,  therefore,  to  remedy 
the  evil,  with  all  the  zeal  that  ever  characterized  his. 
attempts  at  reform.  He  procured  a  singing  master, 
and,  by  his  youthful  eloquence,  mustered  a  fine  class. 
Soon  the  congregation  took  delight  in  the  improved 


The  Singing  Class.  23 

singing.  He  watched  over  his  class  with  great  pride, 
not  at  all  disconcerted  by  the  fact,  that  it  was  soon 
discovered  that  his  voice  added  nothing  to  the  fine 
music,  (although  in  speaking  it  was  flexible  and 
melodious.)  His  class  did  not  prove  an  exception 
to  most  church  choirs — the  members  fell  out.  Sadly 
he  looked  on,  determined  to  help,  if  possible,  but 
biding  his  time.  On  the  next  Sunday  he  anx- 
iously awaited  the  issue.  The  Pastor  gave  out  the 
hymn ;  an  ominous  silence  reigned  in  the  little 
Church ;  John  waited  one  moment,  then,  quick  as 
thought,  he  rose  in  his  seat  and  began  to  raise  the 
tune.  Smiles  illumined  the  faces  of  the  singers,  and 
the  leaders  sang  out  lustily — and  that  was  the  end 
of  the  choir  trouble.  He  would  say  to  his  grand- 
children, with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  "  My  class  was 
afraid  of  my  bad  singing,  so  I  won  the  day."  This 
little  scene  illustrates  the  generous  tact  that  was  a 
characteristic  of  the  subject  of  this  memoir.  He 
knew  how  to  incite  those  around  him  to  action;  he 
would  set  the  example,  and  when  his  companions 
excelled  him,  he  could  step  aside  with  a  smile,  and 
rejoice  with  them  over  the  laurels  they  had  won. 
Perhaps  this  selflessness  was  one  great  secret  of  his 
power  over  men. 

Pastor  Braun  at  this  period,  lived  in  his  parson- 
age at  Schagticoke,  in  that  beautiful  Hoosac  region 
of  country — a  farm  of  fifty  acres  was  attached  to  the 
house. 

Rev.  Barnett  in  his  "  Gilead  Church  History," 
writes,  "  For  a  part  of  his  student-life,  John  Bach- 


24  John  Bachman. 

man  lived  under  the  roof  of  this  faithful  minister." 
Pastor  Braun  is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of  fine  abil- 
ities ;  an  indefatigable  worker,  firm  in  his  convic- 
tions, consistent  in  his  principles,  mild  in  his  man- 
ner, forbearing  toward  the  erring,  and  kind-hearted 
to  a  fault.  He  secured  universal  respect  toward  him- 
self as  a  Christian  gentleman  an  da  faithful  shepherd. 'r 
In  1812,  this  good  man's  health  failed  and  he  be- 
came a  confirmed  invalid ;  in  1813,  at  the  age  of 
sixty,  he  died.  John  Bachman  became  his  successor,, 
the  sixth  Pastor  of  the  three  Churches  which  formed 
the  Gilead  Pastorate.  "For  the  training  of  such 
a  man,"  says  Rev.  Barnett,  "  The  Lutheran  Church 
owes  Pastor  Braun  a  debt  of  gratitude.  So  promi- 
nent a  place  did  he  subsequently  attain  among  the 
great  and  learned  men  of  his  time,  on  both  sides  of 
the  Atlantic,  and  so  identified  was  he  with  the  pro- 
gress of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  this  country,  for 
more  than  half  a  century,  as  a  man  of  extraordinary 
scientific  attainments:  that  to  merely  mention  Dr. 
Bachman's  name  here,  will  recall  to  mind  more 
than  can  be  written  of  him  in  this  brief  history  r 
(Gilead,)  and  beget  a  feeling  of  just  pride,  to  have  it 
known  that  this  illustrious  man  and  eminent  Chris- 
tian, was  born  here,  studied  here,  entered  the  min- 
istry of  the  Church  here,  preached  his  first  sermons 
here,  and  was  one  of  the  pastors  of  Gilead." 

"  Dr.  Bachman  remained  in  charge  about  a  year 
and  a  half,  when  he  was  persuaded  that  duty  and 
his  health  demanded  his  acceptance  of  a  call  to 
Charleston.  This  decision  occasioned  great  sorrow. 


Pastor  at  Gilead.  25 

When  he  delivered  his  farewell  sermon  in  Gilead, 
the  voice  of  lamentation  and  weeping  filled  the 
house.  At  the  close  of  the  services  they  joined  with 
him  in  singing  a  hymn  the  writer  (Rev.  Barnett) 
remembers  to  have  heard  in  childhood,  but  which 
is  no  longer  familiar.  The  first  line  was  : 

"I'll  take  my  staff  and  travel  on." 

The  subject  of  this  memoir  has  left  in  his  memo- 
randa this  grateful  record :  "  I  was  especially  in- 
debted to  Dr.  Quitman,  of  Rheinbeck  ;  to  Rev.  A. 
Brown,  of  New  York ;  and  to  Dr.  Mayer,  of  Phila- 
delphia, for  their  instructions  while  I  was  a  student 
in  Theology." 

Rev.  Dr.  Quitman  and  Rev.  Dr.  Philip  Mayer,  of 
Philadelphia,  are  thus  described  :  "  They  were  re- 
markable men,  of  polished  learning,  courtly  man- 
ners and  noble  bearing.  Quitman  had  been  a 
teacher  in  the  family  of  the  Prince  of  Waldeck. 
They  kept  the  traditions  of  a  State  Church  and 
aristocratic  society.  They  were  good  pastors.  They 
have  left  behind  them  a  social  influence,  still  fra- 
grant and  wholesome.  Their  spiritual  children  are 
remarkable  for  their  lofty  integrity.* 

These  Christian  gentlemen,  doubtless,  contributed 
towards  the  moulding  of  John  Bachman's  charac- 
ter ;  and  the  gracious  manner  which  distinguished 
him  through  life,  may,  in  part,  be  attributed  to 
those  early  influences  and  associations. 

*Rev.  Edward  T.  Horn,  in  Year  Bool  of  the  City  of  Charles- 
ion,  1884. 


CHAPTER  II. 
PASTOR  or  ST.  JOHN'S. 

CALLED  TO  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  CHARLESTON,  s.  c. — EARLY  MIN- 
ISTRY— LAYING  OF  THE  CORNER-STONE  OF  THE  NEW  ST. 
JOHN'S  —  MARRIAGE— JOHN  NICHOLAS  MARTIN  —  BIRTH  OF 
DAUGHTER — SECOND  VISIT  TO  HIS  NORTHERN  HOME. 


T 


HE  subject  of  this  memoir  writes : 


"I  would  gladly  have  spent  the  remainder  of  my 
days  among  the  friends  and  relatives  of  my  boyhood 
and  early  youth.  A  hemorrhage  of  the  lungs,  how- 
ever, with  which  I  had  been  attacked  whilst  at  col- 
lege, was  making  a  fearful  inroad  on  my  health,  and  I 
was  advised  by  my  physicians  to  seek  relief  in  a  more 
Southern  climate.  I  took  a  sea  voyage  to  the  West 
Indies,  and  recuperated  greatly.  On  my  return  to 
Rheinbeck  I  found  that  a  call  had  been  sent  from 
the  congregation  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Synod  of  New  York,  Dr.  Q.uitman,  with 
a  request  that  he  should  recommend  some  clergy- 
man who  might  be  adapted  to  this  field  of  labor. 
He  was  the  father  of  General  Quitman,  and  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  learned  and  eloquent 
men  of  his  day.  He,  and  my  ever  faithful  friend, 
Dr.  Mayer,  of  Philadelphia,  proposed  1113^  name  to 
the  Charleston  congregation.  They  immediately 
sent  me  a  call  to  become  their  pastor.  After  con- 
sulting with  my  family  and  congregation,  they 
reluctantly  gave  me  leave  of  absence .  for  nine 
months. 

"  An  extra  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  had 


Arrival  at  Charleston.  27 

been  convened  for  the  purpose  of  ordaining  me.  It 
was  held  in  the  church  where  I  had  been  baptized 
in  infancy.  Without  returning  home,  I  proceeded 
on  my  way  to  Charleston,  S.  C.,  and,  on  the  10th  of 
January,  arrived  in  the  city.  "  The  means  of  trav- 
eling were  very  different  from  what  they  are  now  in 
the  days  of  steamers  and  railroads.  The  roads  were 
almost  impassable;  as  an  evidence  of  this  I  would 
state  that,  with  the  exception  of  a  Sunday,  on 
which  I  preached  for  Dr.  Mayer,  of  Philadelphia,  I 
came  in  the  regular  stage  line,  which  travelled  day 
and  night,  and  arrived  at  Charleston  on  the  evening 
of  the  twenty-ninth  day  after  leaving  Dutchess 
County,  which  is  a  hundred  miles  north  of  the  city 
of  New  York.  In  the  meanwhile,  our  vehicles  were 
either  broken  or  overturned  eight  times  on  the 
journey. 

"  We  wrere  in  the  midst  of  a  three  years'  war  with 
the  most  powerful  of  foreign  nations.  Fearful  bat- 
tles had  occurred  on  our  Northern  frontiers,  on  the 
ocean,  and  on  the  lakes.  The  traces  of  devastation 
and  death  were  visible  in  the  half-covered  graves 
along  the  highway  between  Baltimore  and  Wash- 
ington. The  blackened  walls  of  the  Capitol  at 
Washington,  and  the  destruction  in  every  part  of  the 
city,  presented  an  awful  picture  of  the  horrors  of 


On  his  arrival  in  Charleston  he  was  welcomed  by 
a  deputation  from  St.  John's  Lutheran  Church. 
The  President  of  the  congregation,  Col.  Jacob  Sass, 
took  him  to  his  own  house.  His  good  wife  and 
himself  made  him  perfectly  comfortable,  and  treated 
him  as  an  honored  guest.  No  member  of  St. 
John's  exceeded  Col  Sass  in  energy  and  faithfulness. 
His  pastor  described  him  thus  :  "  He  was  one  of  the 


28  John  Bachman. 

purest  and  best  men  it  had  ever  been  my  privilege 
to  be  associated  with."  The  young  pastor's  pale 
face  disturbed  and  distressed  his  parishioner ;  "  You 
must  live  much  in  the  open  air  and  ride  on  horse- 
back," he  said.  The  next  day  a  good  pony  was  put 
at  his  disposal.  He  rode  out,  and  this  was  the 
scene  that  presented  itself : 

"  I  found  our  citizens  working  on  the  lines  of 
defence  thrown  around  the  land-side  of  our  city- 
even  ladies  went  there  with  hoes  and  spades  to  cheer 
the  citizen-soldiers  by  their  presence,  their  counte- 
nance, and  example ;  and  I,  too,  joined,  at  least  in 
form,  for  it  was  our  common  country  that  was  to  be 
defended.  In  the  meantime,  the  battle  of  New 
Orleans  had  been  fought  on  the  8th  of  January,  and 
a  treaty  of  peace  had  been  signed  at  Ghent ;  but 
these  important  events  were  not  known  until  some 
time  afterwards.  The  war  had  fallen  heavily  on 
our  Southern  people.  The  principle  staple  of  our 
commerce,  cotton,  had  for  several  years,  during  the 
embargo  and  war,  been  sold  at  a  mere  nominal 
value,  and  was  stored  away  in  various  depositories 
in  King  street.  Men  had  the  necessaries  of  life, 
and  these  were  cheap;  but  all  the  means  of  enter- 
prise, and  all  the  avenues  to  wealth,  were  closed  up. 
Fortunately  men  wrere  driven  to  the  necessity  of 
manufacturing  their  necessary  articles,  and  they 
were  compelled  to  deny  themselves  luxuries ;  they 
studied  economy,  and  hence  there  was  not  much 
suffering  among  our  people  from  any  want  of  the 
necessaries  of  life.  But  the  constant  dread  of  in- 
vasion and  the  sufferings  and  dangers  to  which  our 
friends,  who  were  in  the  army  and  at  sea,  were  con- 
stantly exposed,  kept  the  minds  of  our  citizens  in  an 
unsettled  and  feverish  state. 


St.  John's  Church.  29 

"  When  I  arrived  in  Charleston,  the  congregation 
of  St.  John's  worshipped  in  a  small,  wooden  church, 
situated  in  the  rear  of  the  present  church.  It  was 
an  antiquated  building  of  peculiar  construction,  re- 
sembling some  of  the  old  churches  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts of  Germany." 

Before  us  lies,  in  water  colors,  the  south  view 
of  the  old  Church,  built  A.  D.  1756,  and  also 
a  view  of  the  interior.  It  looks  roomy.  The  small 
pulpit  is  high,  the  beams  naked,  the  chancel  un- 
railed.  and  the  white  altar  large.  The  Pastor  was 
required  to  wear  the  gown. 

One  of  the  members  of  St.  John's,  Mrs.  H.  S.  G., 
then  a  child,  thus  describes  her  impressions  of  the 
young  pastor,  on  the  Sunday  he  took  charge  of  the 
congregation.  "  His  height  was  medium  ;  his  figure 
slender;  his  complexion  fair;  features  regular  and 
eyes  blue.  He  looked  very  young — though  in  his 
twenty-fifth  year.  His  voice  was  strong,  clear,  and 
sweet.  When  the  services  were  ended,  we  stopped  to 
be  introduced  to  him,  and  his  bright  smile  imme- 
diately won  our  hearts." 

It  has  been  said  of  him,  "  Nature  had  made  him 
tender-hearted  and  given  him  a  tireless  will."  The 
congregation  flourished  greatly,  and  at  Easter, 
sixty-four  persons  were  confirmed.  The  building  of 
a  more  commodious  edifice  was  a  pressing  necessity  • 
subscriptions  were  forthwith  collected,  and  contracts 
made  for  the  same. 

In  the  midst  of  his  enthusiastic  labors,  he  turned 
a  deaf  ear  to  the  voice  from  Schaghticoke  urging 


30  John  Bachman. 

him,  during  the  heated  term,  to  seek  a  more  bracing 
climate. 

The  following  letter  from  a  young  friend,  Mr. 
Charles  A.  D.,  gives  us  a  glimpse  into  the  child- 
hood's home  of  the  pastor  of  St.  John's. 

TROY,  June  1st,  1815. 

MY  DEAR  JOHN  :  I  was  on  a  ride  to  Cambridge  a 
few  days  ago.  When  I  reached  the  forks  of  the 
road  (say  at  Wallbridge's),  I  could  not  for  the  life 
of  me  resist  the  temptation  to  turn  to  the  left ;  I 
jogged  on  slowly,  keeping  a  bright  look  out  for 
another  left-handed  turn.  I  soon  discovered  it,  and 
had  not  proceeded  far  before  I  saw  upon  a  tree 
"  John  Bachman  "  incised  into  the  bark  ;  convinced 
that  I  was,  at  any  rate,  where  you  once  had  been,  I 
rode  on.  In  a  few  minutes  I  had  dismounted  at 
your  door.  A  young  man  met  me  at  the  gate,  whom 
I  recognized  immediately  as  your  brother.  Your 
father  was  not  at  home ;  he  had  gone  to  Lansing- 
burg.  I  remembered  that  I  had  passed  an  old 
gentleman  on  the  road,  and  had  noticed  a  likeness 
in  him  to  the  picture  of  your  father  hanging  in 
your  room  (in  Charleston).  I  wish  that  I  had 
stopped  and  spoken  to  him. 

Your  mother  received  me.  As  soon  as  I  had 
said  "  I  am  Mr.  Davis,  from  Charleston,  a  friend  and 
neighbor  of  your  son,"  I  was  made  to  feel  almost  as 
much  at  home  as  if  I  had  been  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bach- 
man himself. 

Your  good  mother  could  not  keep  back  a  tear, 
when  she  spoke  of  your  separation  from  them,  and, 
I  confess,  I  felt  moved.  They  had  many  questions 
to  ask,  and  I  many  stories  to  tell.  They  pressed 
me  heartily  to  remain  ;  but  I  was  compelled  to  go 
on  ;  promised,  however,  another  visit  soon.  I  rode 


The  Strangers'  Fever.  31 

off;  but  ere  the  spot  was  hidden  from  view  that  had 
witnessed  so  many  pleasing  occurrences  of  your 
youthful  days,  I  could  not  but  glance  behind  me  at 
the  quiet  scene,  and,  as  I  ascended  the  hill,  repeat 
to  myself  the  old  lines  beginning 

"  Now  love  in  this  lone  little  spot  with  a  maid, 
How  blest  he  could  live  and  how  calm  he  could  die." 

C.  A.  D. 

Before  the  close  of  the  summer  "  Strangers'  Fever," 
as  it  was  called,  made  its  appearance  in  Charleston. 
The  cause  of  this  Southern  scourge  naturally  claimed 
his  earnest  attention.  Dr.  David  Ramsay,  the  histo- 
rian, wrote  in  1800  ;  "  The  disputes  about  the  origin 
of  Yellow  Fever,  which  have  agitated  the  Northern 
States,  have  never  existed  in  Charleston.  There  is 
but  one  opinion  among  the  physicians  and  inhabi- 
tants, viz ;  that  the  disease  is  neither  imported  nor 
contagious."  As  this  was,  almost  the  unanimous 
opinion  of  the  Medical  Society,  the  rigid  enforcement 
of  the  quarantine  laws  was  not  insisted  upon.  But 
the  Pastor  of  St.  John's  did  not  regard  the  question 
as  finally  settled.  He  had  taken  part  at  the  North 
in  the  vexed  question,  and  now,  under  the  tutorage 
of  a  member  of  his  congregation,  Dr.  Benjamin 
Strobel,  he  studied  more  closely  the  history,  nature, 
and  treatment  of  the  disease.  He  noted  the  course 
of  treatment  pursued  by  this  successful  practitioner, 
and  before  long,  circumstances  put  his  knowledge  to 
the  test.  He  tells  us : 

"  The  first  summer  after  my  settlement  in  Charles- 
ton, the  yellow  fever  made  its  appearance  there,  and 


32  John  Bachman. 

threatened  soon  to  become  epidemic.  Some  of  my 
friends  in  the  Church  came  to  me  and  earnestly  ad- 
vised that,  as  I  was  not  yet  acclimated,  it  would  be 
best  foi  me  to  leave  the  city,  make  a  visit  to  my 
friends  in  the  North,  and  not  return  until  the  dan- 
ger was  over.  I  told  them  that  I  had  no  thought 
nor  desire  to  do  anything  of  the  kind ;  that  I  had 
come  to  them  to  be  their  minister,  and  hardly 
thought  it  would  be  right  for  me  to  leave  them  in  a 
time  of  trial,  when  they  would  probably  have  most 
need  for  my  services.  They  continued  to  remon- 
strate with  me  for  several  days ;  but  I  stood  to  my 
resolution.  Finally  the  Vestry  sent  me  an  official 
notice  that  the  church  would  be  closed  after  the 
following  Sunday,  for  the  space  of  three  months; 
and  requested  me  to  make  that  announcement  from 
the  pulpit.  When  Sunday  came  I  made  the  an- 
nouncement in  accordance  with  the  order  of  the 
Vestry;  but  followed  it  with  the  notice  to  the  effect 
that  we  had  secured  the  use  of  a  vacant  chapel  for 
the  next  three  months,  where  I  would  be  pleased  to 
meet  with  any  of  the  congregation  who  might  be 
disposed  to  come,  at  the  usual  hours  for  Sunday 
service. 

"Soon  after  that  I  received  a  letter  from  home, 
telling  me  that  my  father  was  very  ill,  that  he  could 
not  long  survive,  and  that  he  was  anxious  to  see  me. 
Then  I  felt  no  hesitation  about  going.  I  took  pas- 
sage upon  a  vessel  just  about  to  sail  for  New  York. 
Before  we  were  at  sea  twenty-four  hours,  we  had  two 
men  down  with  yellow  fever,  and  the  captain  and 
all  on  board  were  very  much  alarmed  at  it,  wonder- 
ing what  was  to  be  done.  I  told  the  captain  that  if  he 
would  put  the  medicine  chest  at  my  disposal  and 
keep  all  the  crew  and  passengers  on  deck,  I  would 
go  below  and  take  charge  of  the  sick.  He  was 
greatly  relieved  at  this,  and  made  the  necessary  ar- 


A  Marriage  Service.  38 

rangements  very  promptly.  Well,  what  with  rough 
weather  and  head  winds,  we  had  a  slow  time  of  it 
and  were  out  about  two  weeks.  By  the  fourth  day 
out  I  had,  (I  think,  eight)  patients  on  my  hands.  Of 
course,  in  the  two  weeks  I  did  not  take  off  my 
clothes,  or  go  regularly  to  bed  at  all,  and  was  on 
deck  only  once,  to  bury  one  of  my  poor  fellows  who 
had  died.  When  we  got  to  the  quarantine  station  at 
New  York  my  patients  were  all  doing  finely,  though 
they  were  still  as  yellow  as  pumpkins." 

As  he  was  never  very  sea-sick,  he  soon  recovered 
from  the  self  imposed  fatigue  of  nursing  the  sick. 

Hastening,  with  anxious  forebodings,  to  his  old 
home,  he  found  to  his  great  joy,  that  his  father  was 
convalescent. 

There  was  Itttle  to  mar  the  pleasure  of  this  first 
visit  to  the  scenes  of  his  early  labors.  The  next 
Sunday  he  was  to  preach  to  his  former  flock.  His 
father  said  to  him  "John,  let  Marriage  be  the  sub- 
ject of  your  discourse."  The  hint  was  taken  and  the 
sermon  prepared.  On  Sunday,  long  before  the 
hour  for  service,  the  village  congregations  from  the 
three  churches  flocked  to  the  appointed  place  of 
worship.  His  text  was  a  great  surprise  to  many  of 
his  audience,  for,  until  that  morning,  a  profound 
secret  had  been  faithfully  kept. 

When  the  services  were  ended,  fifteen  couples  pre- 
sented themselves  to  be  united  in  marriage.  John 
Bach  man  describes  the  scene  thus : 

"  Intense  excitement  was  betrayed  by  the  congre- 
gation as  the  young  people,  in  pairs,  walked  up  the 
aisle.  I  stood  at  the  altar  and  gave  the  exordium. 


34  John  Eachman. 

Then  I  walked  down  the  aisle  asking  the  necessary 
questions  of  every  couple,  joined  their  hands  together 
and  pronounced  them  '  man  and  wife.'  I  was  in- 
formed that  as  soon  as  it  was  known  positively  that 
I  was  expected  in  Rhinebeck,  these  young  people 
determined  to  give  me  this  pleasant  surprise.  Some 
had  delayed  their  weddings,  and  others  hastened 
their  preparations." 

An  old  letter  of  this  date  has  been  preserved  by 
a  member  of  the  Horlbeck  family.  It  is  addressed 
to  Mr.  John  Horlbeck,  Senr.,  Charleston,  S.  C.  The 
post-mark  is  Lansingburg,  September  1st ;  it  came 
duly  to  hand  one  month  later,  October  3rd;  postage, 
37J  cents. 

SCHAGHTICOKE,  Aug.  31st,  1815. 

"  I  have  enjoyed  good  health  since  I  left  you,  and 
exposed  myself  so  much  to  the  heat  of  the  sun,  in 
riding  and  walking  through  the  country,  that  I  am 
several  shades  darker  than  I  was  when  we  parted. 

"  My  dear  father  is  much  better  than  I  expected 
to  find  him.  He  is  remarkably  cheerful,  and  did  I 
not  know  that  his  disorder  is  a  lingering  and  dan- 
gerous one,  I  would  flatter  myself  that  he  might 
yet  be  perfectly  restored  to  health.  My  uncle  met 
me  in  Philadelphia,  spent  a  week  with  us  here,  and 
then  returned  to  his  residence  in  Rheinbeck.  He 
is  one  of  Dr.  Quitman's  congregation.  To-morrow 
I  leave  Albany  for  Rhinebeck,  where  I  expect  to 
meet  the  Synod.  My  old  congregations  are  so  anx- 
ious for  me  to  continue  with  them,  that  they  have 
sent  petitions  to  the  Synod,  in  hopes  that  its  mem- 
bers may  prevail  upon  me  to  accept  their  call.  But 
I  can  assure  you  that  though  my  native  spot  is  dear 
to  me,  yet  nothing  would  induce  me  to  remain. 


Visit  to  his  Old  Home.  35 

Charleston  I  consider  as  my  home ;  and  unless  its 
inhabitants  treat  me  with  greater  neglect  than  they 
have  heretofore  done,  they  will  have  to  keep  me  for 
life.  I  am  anxious  to  hear  what  progress  you  make 
in  building  the  new  church.  I  hope  you  are  all 
united  and  walk  hand  in  hand.  I  am  pleased  to 
hear  that  yourself  and  brother  are  to  do  the  brick 
work. 

Give  my  best  respects  to  Mr.  Strohecker  and 
family.  He  presented  me  with  a  cane  to  take  with 
me  as  a  present  to  my  father.  I  thought  highly  of 
it,  and  carried  it  safe  to  Rhinebeck.  There,  in  the 
hurry  in  putting  my  things  on  board  of  the  boat,  it 
was  thrown  into  the  dock.  The  boat  could  not 
wait,  and  I  offered  a  dollar  to  the  person  who  would 
dive  for  it.  I  hope  to  obtain  it  again,  as  a  gentle- 
man wrho  resides  there  promised  to  attend  to  it. 
My  father  speaks  often  of  the  present ;  particularly 
on  account  of  the  distance  it  has  been  sent,  the 
person  who  sent  it,  and  the  circumstance  of  its  being 
of  Orange  wood. 

Write  me  when  it  will  be  prudent  for  me  to 
return  to  your  city,  as  I  shall  not  stay  longer  than 
is  absolutely  necessary.  Yours,  with  esteem, 

J.  B. 

The  prudence  exercised  was  in  deference  to  the 
wishes  of  his  Vestry. 

Such  was  the  zeal  of  the  congregation  of  St. 
John's  that,  notwithstanding  the  absence  of  their 
pastor,  the  corner  stone  was  laid  on  the  8th  of 
August,  Bishop  Dehon,  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
performing  the  ceremony.* 

*On  the  death  of  Bishop  Dehon,  June,  1817,  a  letter  of 
condolence  was  sent  by  the  Vestry,  and  St.  John's  was 
draped  in  mourning. 


36  John  Bacliman. 

In  the  Fall  of  this  year,  with  renewed  strength 
and  energy,  he  returned  to  his  post  of  duty  in 
Charleston. 

Col.  Sass  again  claimed  the  young  pastor  as  his 
guest,  and  his  grandson,  Jacob  Schirmer  (then  a  lad), 
was  at  hand  to  offer  his  services  to  his  pastor.  In 
his  old  age,  Mr.  Schirmer  used  to  tell  us,  with  much 
glee, l<  And  he  did  make  use  of  me.  I  was  the 
bearer  of  his  love  letters,  when  he  was  engaged  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Harriet  Martin."  In  1816  this 
happy  union  was  consummated. 

Miss  Martin  was  the  granddaughter  of  Rev.  John 
Nicholas  Martin,  the  fourth  pastor  of  St.  John's 
Lutheran  Church,  Charleston. 

When  the  quaint  little  wooden  church  was  dedi- 
cated, June  27th,  1764,  on  St.  John  Baptist's  Day, 
under  the  name  of  St.  John's  Church,  Pastor  Martin 
was  the  minister  in  charge.  He  filled  the  pulpit 
acceptably  for  three  years.  In  1767,  he  resigned  his 
charge. 

The  Patriarch  Missionary  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
H.  M.  Muhlenberg,  in  August,  1773,  heard  Rev. 
Martin  preach  an  afternoon  sermon  in  St.  John's, 
(Rev.  Daser  was  then  pastor),  Muhlenberg's  droll 
criticism  of  the  sermon  is  preserved  in  his  "  Journal." 

"  Rev.  Martin  preached  from  the  text,  '  My  house 
shall  be  called  a  house  of  prayer.'  He  showed  how 
we  ought  to  go  to  the  house  of  God,  and  how  to  be- 
have outside  of  it.  In  the  first  part,  he  proposed 
six  steps  to  lead  us  into  it ;  the  second  part  was 
intended  for  the  other  subject.  All  was  ingeniously 


Rev.  John  Nicholas  Martin.  37 

illustrated  with  sentences  and  quotations.  But, 
from  the  shortness  of  time,  and  the  great  heat, 
(August  29th),  he  did  not  show  us  any  other  outlet, 
and  we  were  obliged  to  return  by  those  six  steps, 
and  finish  where  we  had  begun."* 

We  may  hope  that  the  heat,  etc.,  had  its  full  share 
in  the  short  comings  of  that  particular  sermon, 
delivered  by  our  brave,  useful,  and  beloved  an- 
cestor. 

In  1774,  a  letter  was  sent  to  Pastor  Martin,  be- 
seeching him  to  serve  his  old  charge.  He  replied, 
"  In  compliance  with  the  desire  of  the  vestry, 
(St.  John's),  I  will  serve  the  Evangelical  congrega- 
tion of  Charleston,  one  and  a  half  years,  etc.  Deo 
volente,  will  take  charge  the  first  Sunday  in  Advent." 
When  the  time  of  this  engagement  drew  to  a  close 
and  there  was  no  hope  of  obtaining  a  pastor  from 
abroad,  Pastor  Martin  was  induced  to  engage  for 
two  years  longer.  The  subject  of  our  Memoir  tells 
us,  "  During  the  stormy  season  of  the  Revolution 
the  Germans  of  Charleston  had  been  the  strenuous 
advocates  and  defenders  of  the  rights  of  their 
adopted  country.  '  The  German  Fusilier  Company ' 
was  formed  from  the  original  members  of  St.  John's 
congregation.  They  participated  in  the  dangers 
and  sufferings  of  the  Revolution,  and  their  captain 
fell  at  the  siege  of  Savannah.  Their  pastor,  the 
Rev.  John  Nicholas  Martin,  on  his  refusal  to 
pray  for  the  king,  was  driven  from  his  church  and 

*Life  and  Times  of  H.  M  Muhlenberg,  by  W.  J. 
Mann,  D.  D. 


38  John  Bachman. 

his  property  confiscated.  He  was,  for  a  time,  under 
arrest,  and  afterwards  was  compelled  to  leave  the 
city,  to  which  he  did  not  return  until  the  close 
of  the  war." 

His  farm  was  situated  about  a  mile  from  Charles- 
ton. The  family  chronicle  tells  us  that  during  the 
Revolutionary  War  our  own  troops,  "  fearing  that 
the  farm-house  might  furnish  a  cover  to  the  enemy's 
approach,  twice  put  a  torch  to  it."  When  Rev. 
Martin  retired  from  the  active  ministry,  he  re- 
turned to  his  little  farm — a  spot  connected  with  so 
many  historical  associations.  Here,  beloved  and 
honored,  he  died  at  an  advanced  age,  in  1797. 

At  this  farm-house,*  January  23rd,  1816,  his 
granddaughter,  Harriet,  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Rev.  John  Bachman. 

One  of  the  old  members  of  St.  John's,  (now  de- 
ceased), remembered  the  first  parsonage — a  house 
in  the  western  part  of  the  city.  Both  husband  and 
wife  had  a  taste  for  gardening.  Together  they 
trained  the  vines,  and  soon  the  barren  spot  was 
made  bright  with  annuals  and  roses. 

In  December  a  daughter,  Maria,  was  born  in  the 
pastor's  home. 

August,  1817,  we  find  him  with  his  household,  on 
a  visit  to  the  old  homestead  at  the  North.  The 
farm-house  was  roomy  and  the  welcome  warm. 

A  faithful  old  colored  nurse,  Mary  Ann,  took 
charge  of  the  baby.  Mary  Ann  had  felt  sundry 
misgivings  with  regard  to  visiting  "  outlandish 

*Now  known  as  the  Geiger  Farm. 


Prejudice.  39 

places;"  yet  the  abounding  good  cheer  of  the 
farm  proved  very  acceptable  to  the  old  nurse. 
On  their  homeward  journey,  however,  they  spent 
a  week  in  the  City  of  New  York.  Nothing 
could  exceed  the  discontent  and  disgust  expressed 
by  old  Mary  Ann.  Everything  she  pronounced 
was  better  in  Charleston,  Vainly  they  tried  to 
impress  her  by  taking  her  to  see  the  impos- 
ing buildings  in  the  great  city — all  to  no  pur- 
pose ;  she  insisted  that  an  old,  unsightly  building 
in  the  suburbs  of  Charleston,  the  "  Tobacco  Inspec- 
tion," was  finer  than  any  of  them.  So  much  for 
prejudice ! 


CHAPTER  III. 
THE  NEW  ST.  JOHN'S. 

DEDICATION  OF  THE  NEW  ST.  JOHN'S — SUNDAY-SCHOOL  ESTAB- 
LISHED—SUMMONED  TO  THE  NORTH  BY  THE  ILLNESS  OP  HIS 
FATHER — FAMILY  JOYS  AND  SORROWS— THE  DEATH  OF  HIS 
FATHER  INDUCES  ANOTHER  VISIT  TO  HIS  EARLY  HOME — 
LETTERS  IN  1827. 

THE  corner-stone  of  the  new  St.  John's  had  been 
laid  August  8th,  1815.  The  mechanics  were 
nearly  all  drawn  from  the  congregation,  and  the 
work  was  vigorously  carried  on. 

The  old  church  was  every  Sunday  crowded  to 
overflowing.  We  can  picture  the  congregation,  after 
service,  pausing  to  mark  the  progress  of  the  new 
building.  The  members,  young  and  old,  did  their 
part.  The  pulpit,  with  its  high  sounding-board, 
was  the  gift  of  the  ladies  of  the  congregation — (at 
the  cost  of  $1,000,  exclusive  of  the  mahogany,  which 
was  presented  by  Col.  Sass).  A  year  after  the  dedi- 
cation of  the  church  the  tablets  were  put  up  by  the 
young  people.  Thus  all  felt  a  lively  and  wholesome 
interest  in  the  new  church-building.  Sunday,  Jan- 
uary 8th,  1818.  it  was  dedicated. 

At  11.30  A.  M.,  the  vestry,  headed  by  the  venera- 
ble Col.  Sass,  the  building  committee,  and  the  cler- 
gymen of  the  city,  walked  in  procession  from  the 
old  to  the  new  St.  John's. 


John  G.  Schwartz.  41 

A  band  of  music  performed  a  sacred  piece.  (The 
organ  was  not  completed  until  a  year  later.) 

The  impressive  dedication  service  was  read  • 
Bishop  Dehon  and  other  Episcopal  clergy  assisting 
in  the  opening  service. 

The  following  hymn  was  sung,  led  by  the  Union 
Harmonic  Society,  accompanied  by  the  band  : 

11  And  will  the  great  eternal  God 

On  earth  establish  His  abode  ? 
And  will  He  from  his  radiant  throne 
Regard  our  temples  as  His  own." 

The  sermon  was  preached  by  the  pastor ;  text,  1st 
Kings,  viii  c.,  27th  v. :  "  Behold,  the  heaven  of 
heavens  cannot  contain  Thee,  much  less  the  house  that  I 
have  builded" 

In  1819,  we  find  him  busy  among  the  children  of 
the  church,  organizing  his  Sunday-school. 

Ever  interested  in  the  cause  of  education,  the 
"  German  Friendly  Society "  school  especially 
claimed  his  attention.  For  many  years  the  institu- 
tion flourished.  Among  the  pupils  in  whom  he 
took  a  deep  interest,  was  his  ward,  John  Schwartz, 
who  uniformly  held  the  first  rank  in  his  class. 

One  cold,  rainy  morning,  John  knocked  at  his 
pastor's  study-door.  He  had  came  to  remind  him 
that  the  year  of  his  probation  was  ended.  After 
daily  reflection  and  prayer,  his  desire  to  consecrate 
his  life  to  the  service  of  the  church  remained  un- 
changed. From  that  day  he  became  his  pastor's 
special  charge,  and  was  considered  almost  as  a  mem- 
ber of  his  family. 


42  John  Bachman. 

July,  1821,  the  angel  of  death  entered  the  pastor's 
bright  home,  and  bore  away  the  darling  of  the 
household,  Cordelia,  aged  seven  months.  It  was 
the  first  break  in  the  family  circle.  Three  daugh- 
ters remained  to  bless  the  home.  The  following 
January  the  angel  of  life  brought  comfort  and  joy 
to  the  hearts  of  the  sorrowing  parents.  A  son  was 
born,  and  baptized  John.  The  healthy  baby  throve, 
was  fair  and  beautiful;  five  months  later  (June, 
1822),  after  a  few  days  illness,  he  died,  and  the 
second  little  mound  was  raised  in  the  cemetery  of 
St.  John's. 

In  September,  1823,  a  letter  from  his  sister,  Eva, 
Mrs.  Dale,  informed  him  that  his  father's  life  was 
endangered  by  another  stroke  of  paralysis,  and  that 
his  mother  needed  his  presence.  In  haste,  he 
obeyed  the  summons. 

October  23,  1823. 
To  Mrs.  BACHMAN  : 

"  My  poor  father's  health  is  precisely  as  it  was 
when  I  wrote.  It  makes  me  melancholy  to  leave 
him  in  this  condition,  but  it  seems  to  be  a  duty,  as 
he  may  continue  in  this  state  for  a  month  or  two. 
I  shall  soon  be  with  you,  and  a  thousand  times 
happier  than  ever  to  be  at  home.  Even  now  as  I 
think  of  it,  I  am  ready  to  chide  the  tardy-gaited 
hours."  *  *  *  *  J.  B. 


Childhood's  memories  of  the  joyous  day  of  his 
return  home  have  been  preserved.  The  hearty 
greetings,  and  rather  noisy  welcome  of  the  chil- 
dren. The  opening  of  a  barrel  of  Northern  fruit, 


Characteristic  Traits.  43 

etc.  No  apples  seemed  to  the  little  girls  so  rosy 
cheeked  and  juicy  as  those  that  grew  in  grand- 
father's orchard  ;  and  no  butter  so  golden  as  the 
produce  of  grandmother's  dairy. 

In  December,  the  accounts  of  his  father's  health 
were  favorable.  Months  glided  into  years,  and  still 
the  evil  day  was  put  off — his  father's  death  did  not 
occur  until  three  years  later. 

The  pastor  of  St.  John's  had  a  keen  relish  for  life. 
His  parishioners  delighted  to  have  him  share  their 
hospitality ;  and  though  he  was  too  busy  a  worker 
to  spend  much  time  at  the  table,  he  gladly  accepted 
a  cordial  invitation  to  one  of  his  many  homes — and 
he  had  almost  as  many  homes  as  families  in  his 
congregation.  He  scarcely  noticed  what  his  hostess 
set  before  him ;  in  fact,  some  of  the  old  ladies  assert 
that  he  would  readily  partake  of  a  second  dinner. 
As  he  was  a  good  talker,  full  of  anecdote  and  ready, 
harmless  wit,  we  surmise  that  he  did  not  always  get 
his  full  share  at  the  first  table,  so  willingly  con- 
cluded the  meal  at  the  second.  Besides,  he  was  a 
continuous  worker,  almost  beyond  his  strength,  and 
needed  nourishing  food  to  build  him  up.  He 
disliked  wine,  declaring  that  it  never  agreed  with 
him  ;  a  cup  of  tea — and  a  large  one — he  enjoyed. 
In  his  old  age,  the  good  wife  would  return  one  of 
his  many  little  jokes,  for  while  he  was  talking  in  an 
earnest,  animated  strain,  she  would  slily  continue 
to  replace  the  empty  cup  with  a  full  one,  and  when 
the  tea  drinking  was  over,  have  a  laugh  at  his 
expense,  in  which  he  would  join  heartily,  declaring 


44  John  Bachman. 

that  one  who  had  received  many  cups  of  tea,  of 
such  excellent  quality,  had  the  advantage  on  his 
side. 

In  July,  1824,  a  second  son  was  joyfully  welcomed 
in  the  pastor's  home,  and  haptized  Henry.  The 
joy  proved  of  short  duration  ;  the  babe  was  delicate 
from  birth  ;  soon  its  moans  smote  the  hearts  of  its 
parents,  and  another  tiny  mound  was  raised  beside 
the  graves  of  his  little  brother  and  sister. 

In  1827  twin  daughters  were  born  in  the  parson- 
age. The  young  folk  of  the  congregation  were 
delighted.  One  young  girl  learned  to  use  her 
needle  skilfully  while  making  twelve  beautiful 
dresses  for  the  pastor's  twins,  Ellen  and  Clara. 
Among  sundry  useful  gifts  that  found  their  way  to 
the  parsonage,  was  a  dainty  straw  double  cradle; 
a  memento  preserved  in  his  family  for  more  than 
half  a  century. 

Amidst  family  joys,  the  tidings  came  that  his 
venerable  father,  Jacob  Bachman,  had  been  sud- 
denly called  from  earth.  It  was  a  sore  grief  to  him 
that  he  had  not  been  present  to  close  the  eyes  of 
his  beloved  parent.  The  following  June,  1827,  he 
prepared  to  visit  the  deserted  home  of  his  child- 
hood and  youth,  in  order  to  settle  up  his  father's 
affairs. 

Expecting  to  be  absent  for  six  weeks,  he  left  his 
church  in  charge  of  his  student,  John  G.  Schwartz. 
Another  of  his  home  students,  William  D.  Strobel, 
accompanied  him  to  New  York. 

They  sailed  from  Charleston,  July   27th.      The 


Margaret  Bowen.  45 

family  of  his  friend,  Bishop  Bowen,  were  among  the 
passengers ;    the  Bishop  was  not  on  board. 

AT  SKA,  IN  SIGHT  OF  LAND, 

July  2nd,  1827. 
To  Mrs.  BACHMAN  : 

As  we  hope  to  be  at  anchor  some  time  to-night,  I 
write  to  have  a  letter  ready  for  the  first  mail. 

Last  Friday,  a  most  melancholy  scene  was  pre- 
sented, which  has  cast  a  gloom  around  us.  Mrs. 
Bowen's  daughter,  Margaret,  who  had  been  very  sea- 
sick, was  taken  with  convulsions.  Every  thing  was 
done  for  her  that  could  be  suggested,  without  a  phy- 
sician on  board,  but  all  to  no  purpose;  she  died  a  few 
hours  later.  Among  the  other  griefs  of  Mrs.  Bowen 
was  the  thought  of  being  obliged  to  have  her  dead 
child  cast  into  the  sea.  I  felt  greatly  interested,  and 
we,  at  last,  thought  of  a  mode  of  preserving  the 
body — a  box  tightly  packed  with  sawdust  and  ice.* 
Mrs.  Bowen  bore  the  blow  like  a  saint.  Yesterday 
(Sunday)  we  had  service  on  board,  and  I,  at  the 
request  of  the  passengers,  gave  a  sermon  alluding 
to  the  melancholy  event.  There  was  great  atten- 
tion, and  great  solemnity.  The  crew  of  this  ship  is 
an  excellent  one.  I  have  not  heard  an  oath  or  an 
improper  word,  and  the  passengers  have  been  united 
and  attentive.  I  tried  to  make  myself  useful,  and 
believe,  in  some  respects,  I  have  succeeded." 

J.  B. 

When  they  reached  Staten  Island,  the  vessel  cast 
anchor,  while  he  performed  the  last  sad  rites  for  his 
little  friend,  Margaret  Bowen. 

*A  fellow-passenger  gives  the  following  account:  "Through 
the  influence  of  Rev.  John  Bachmari,  the  passengers  signed 
a  paper,  unanimously  requesting  the  captain  to  dispense 
with  ice  during  the  passage." 


46  John  Bachman. 

LANSINGBURG,  July  14th,  1827. 

I  have  slept  very  little  since  I  left  Charleston.  On 
board  of  the  ship,  I  felt  as  though  I  had  only  dozed, 
and  the  stage  driver  knocked  us  up  at  3  A.  M.  We 
traveled  over  a  rough  and  mountainous  country ; 
the  roads  were  dusty  and  disagreeable ;  yet  I  am  in 
excellent  health. 

My  dear  old  mother  is,  perhaps,  better  than  I 
expected  to  find  her.  She  has  the  use  of  her  hands, 
but  is  obliged  to  walk  with  crutches — (the  result  of 
a  fall.)  I  fear  that  she  will  be  compelled  to  use 
them  for  the  rest  of  her  days.  The  old  home  is 
shut  up.  Sister  Eva  (Mrs.  Dale)  has  taken  our 
mother  to  her  house  in  Lansingburg.  Her  girls  are 
charming,  and  remind  me  of  my  own  at  home. 

J.  B. 

FORT  PLAIN,  July  17th,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  HARRIET  :  As  I  have  to-day  commenced 
a  journey  in  a  novel  conveyance,  that  of  the  Tow 
Boat,  on  the  "  Great  Western  "  or  Erie  Canal,  I  have 
concluded  to  while  away  a  half  hour,  while  we  are 
leisurely  moving  up  Clinton's  big  Ditch,  in  writing 
to -you. 

I  haye  taken  this  tour,  because  the  executors  of 
my  father's  estate,  will  not  be  ready  for  a  settlement 
until  after  harvest ;  and,  because  I  wish  to  divert 
my  mind  from  the  melancholy  scenes  to  which  I 
should  be  exposed,  were  I  to  remain  for  the  next 
fortnight  in  the  neighborhood  of  my  former  resi- 
dence. Early  this  morning,  I  took  another  view  of 
Schenectady.  At  eight  o'clock  we  went  on  board  of 
the  packet-boat  "Albany,"  and  commenced  our 
voyage,  (if  I  may  use  the  expression).  The  boat  is 
of  a  very  singular  construction.  It  is  about  seventy- 
five  feet  long,  carrying  eighty  tons — ours,  however, 


An  Old-time  Voyage.  47 

being  a  packet  boat,  is  only  intended  for  passengers. 
It  has  all  the  conveniences  of  a  steamboat,  without 
danger,  and  without  the  noise  of  the  wheels.  It  is 
towed  by  from  one  to  three  horses.  A  long  rope  is 
attached  to  the  boat.  We  are  every  moment  pass- 
ing boats  laden  with  produce,  on  their  way  to  the 
Hudson  River.  There  are  already  three  thousand 
boats  on  the  canal,  and  there  are  hundreds  more 
building.  The  following  is  something  like  a  sketch 
of  a  boat  as  it  appears  when  passing  up  this  canal. 
(Here  a  pen  and  ink  sketch  is  introduced).  The 
boatmen  have  a  merry  life — no  storms,  no  fear 
of  wrecks,  always  able  to  jump  on  shore,  never 
obliged  to  wait  for  a  fair  wind,  able  to  calculate,  to 
an  hour,  the  time  of  their  arrival  at  their  destined 
port ;  meeting  every  moment  with  their  friends, 
laughing  and  joking,  and  seeming  all  in  a  good 
humor.  The  boats  pass  each  other  almost  as  easily 
as  wagons  in  King  street,  and  a  boat  passes  a  lock 
in  five  minutes,  and  sometimes  in  half  the  time. 
When  we  come  to  a  lock,  I  am  in  the  habit  of  jump- 
ing on  shore  and  picking  up  all  the  plants  in  bloom 
that  appear  new  to  me.  The  sweetbriar  everywhere 
grows  along  the  canal ;  the  air  in  some  places  is 
scented  with  a  purple  asclepias.  The  elder  and 
sumach  are  the  most  common  plants  now  in  blos- 
som. The  gooseberry  is  found  hanging  almost  in 
the  water.  The  black  raspberry  is  most  abundant. 
A  beautiful  species  of  purple  columbine  is  clamber- 
ing among  the  rocks.  The  hills  are  covered  with 
tall  trees  of  the  butternut  and  shell-bark,  bending 
with  nuts.  The  chestnut  is  in  full  blossom.  The 
mountain  scenery  is  very  pretty  along  the  banks  of 
the  canal,  as  we  hug  closely  the  Mohawk  River,  and 
are  frequently  in  sight  of  the  main  road.  In  one  or 
two  places  the  mountains  rose  perpendicularly  for 
two  or  three  hundred  feet.  Some  seemed  fairly  un- 


•IS  .loll n 


dermmed  l.y  (he  rains,  by  the  trickling  of  wafer 
from  the  Springs,  and  l»y  the  winter  frosts.  Half 

\\a\  ap  the  iteeps  of  these  rocke  which  are  a  forma- 

tion   principally   o|   sand    Mini   limestone,  you   often 

MM-  large  hole  1,  like  the  months  of  vast.  caves.    Tim 

!i  li  li:i\\k  builds  In.  111  •  I  on  sonic  li;dl'  decaved 
hemliM-k  tree;  and  where  the  l>:iidx  s\\;dlo\vs  I-MH 
lind  c.-irlli,  Iliry  luiild  I  Imi  I1  nrsl  l»y  hnnd  n-ds,  :ind 

Hi.  MI-  young  are  everywhere  pokin..-  oni  Hu-ir  l 


<  )..i.i  \    r.i  no,  «>\    i  MI    liiN  r.i;  Sr    LlWBENCE, 

.Inly  'JSlh,  1S-27. 

I  \\rilc  in    Ilir    midst    of  liurry    :nul    hnsll(>  lo 
(li.'il    we    .it.-    :ill    \\rll.Miul    lli:il,   llms    l';ir,  \\ilh    llu^ 

exception  «»i  '  :i  Little  detention,  our  journey  hns  IXMMI 

a.  plousant  and  ill)  iinprovin;',  one.  This  is  :i  vrry 
boisterous  hikr  --MII  inlnnd  SCM.  \\'r  \V«M-O  driven 
into  S;n-k(Mt's  IhirU.r  l>y  :i  i'.:il<\  :>nd  drl:iined  tor 
the  j-rrMliT  pnrt  of  ;i  d;i\  .  :in<l  I  \VMS  innre  st«M^irk 
(il  I  may  n>elhMl  e\|>n^-ion  of  M  lVe^h\v;iter  Inke) 
thnn  1  ever  \\MS  Ml  sen.  Tho  ho;il  \VMS  m>od.  MH«!  was 
mmlo  to  stand  tho  gulcH  «>n  this  iMke  .  hnt  the  HIM 
ehinery  is  miserable.  1'lvery  now  and  then  \ve  \\viv 
ohli'M-d  to  stop  and  tinktM-  tlu^  hoiler,  and  if  it  .had 
not  Uvn  tor  M  line  bree/e  lh:il  favored  IH  vt'sltM-dMy. 

I  do  not    know  when  we  should  havi'Mmynl.     ! 
terd.iv.  however,  \\e  W(M-o   n»pMid    lor   all   our  drl^n- 
tionS,  in  the  hi\'intitul.  roniMiitie  views   presented  by 
(his  sphMidid    rivor—  thr   St.    I.Mwreneiv       It    h 
elrn-aeter  ptu  nliar  to  ils,-lt',and  no  one  that  ever 

II  Can  I'Mi'.el   it.       Tim  \\Mleix  of  llu»  lake  MH*  so  clear 
that   \  on  .-an    see    thirty  or  forty  tcct  down,  and    tho 
shores  are.  ;M>nerally.  bold  and   rui^vd      no  wetxls  — 
no  marshes,  and  seldom  low    grounds,  consequently 
it   r-  BUppOSed  to  ho  more    healthy  than  some  of  tho 
other  lakes.   Cases,  however,  of  fever  and  aiMieoeeur 


On  flir  N/.    /,rn/'/vmv.  49 

ill.  some  places,  ;ind  what  is  called  "  Lake  Kevcr," 
hearing  some  resemblance  to  our  country  (ever, 
sometimes,  though  rarely,  occurs.  The  liivcr  St. 
Lawrence,  contrary  I.,  most  rivers,  which  run  south, 
has  a  northeasterly  course.  Us  shores  ;iro  rocky, 
and  in  nuiny  cases  (he  water  is  lifly  led  deej),  only 
three  feel  IVoin  (he  shore.  I  lldeed,  the  rocks  seem 
almost  perpendicular,  This  river  is  studded  will) 
about  seventeen  liundred  isl.-inds,  sonic  of  th(>ni  not 
five  led.  wide.  A  rock  rises  out  of  tin1  water  to  the 
hei-hf  of  ten  or  twenty,  or  even  a  hundred  foot.  It 
has  a  tree  or  two  upon  it,  which  withstands  all  the 
storms  and  violence  of  this  mighty  river.  Some- 
times it  looks  like  a  dining  tahle  with  an  umbrella, 
over  it.  Sometimes  you  imagine  that  a  row  of  stono 
houses,  forming  :i  little  village,  lies  boforo  you;  nt 
other  times,  you  fancy  t  here  is  a  mighty  cast  le  in 
.sight.  You  think  you  see  the  cannon  frowning 
upon  you  ;  hut  it  is  all  a  deception,  nil  made  hy  <  ho 
hand  of  nature,  and  man  has  had  nothing  to  do 
\vilh  it.  The  navigation  is  hy  no  means  difficult. 
There  appear  to  he  no  sunken  rocks,  and  M.  man  has 
only  to  keep  his  eyes  open,  and  avoid  the  little 
islands  that  seem  to  float  like  ducks  upon  (he  water.* 
In  general,  the  islands  and  the  shore  arc4  sterilo 
and  there  must  he  hard  scratching  for  a  living. 
Here  and  there,  you  see  a  log  cahin  along  the 
wafer's  edge  with  a  sign  hung  out  Oil  some  hemlock 
tree,  indicating  that  there1  are  accommodations  for 
the  voyager — miserable  accommodations  they  must 
he.  On  the  Canada  side,  there  are  lino  farms  and 

orchards,  many  nohle  stone  houses,  and,  in  somo 
places,  an  appearance  of  wealth  and  plenty ;  and  on 
the  American  side,  wherever  the  land  is  good,  cl wir- 
ings are  beginning  to  be  made.  Although  this  13 

xTliis  was  before  he  iva.-lu-d  (he  rapids  at  Montreal. 


50  John  Bachman. 

yet  a  frontier,  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  it 
will  contain  a  busy,  enterprising  population. 

Tell  our  little  Maria  that  if  she  will  trace  our 
journey  on  the  map,  and 'give  us  an  account  of  all 
the  rivers,  where  they  rise  and  where  they  empty, 
and  tell  us  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  the  towns,. 
I  shall  bring  her  a  fine  present. 

I  have  just  received  a  visit  and  a  request,  that  T 
should  preach  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  as  the 
minister  is  absent,  I  cannot  refuse. 

Kiss  all  the  children  for  me,  and  love  to  the? 
whole  row  of  friends.  J.  B. 

MONTREAL,  LOWER  CANADA, 
August  1st,  1827. 

I  will  have  much  to  tell  you  about  Canada,  be- 
sides some  trifles  of  Indian  manufacture  to  give  you, 
on  my  return.  The  difference  between  the  Upper 
and  Lower  provinces  is  very  great,  both  as  it  regards 
the  face  of  the  country,  and  its  inhabitants.  In  Up- 
per Canada,  you  find  a  soil  and  people  similar  ta 
that  of  the  United  States,  under  the  same  latitude. 
In  Lower  Canada,  you  appear  at  once  to  have  fallen 
upon  a  strange  land  and  people.  There  is  some- 
thing peculiar  in  the  Canadian  character.  Those 
who  are  nearly  descended  from  the  French  are  a 
lively,  thoughtless  set,  careless  of  to-morrow ;  and 
particularly  the  boatmen  are  indifferent  of  fatiguer 
and  appear  to  be  happy  in  their  ignorance. 

In  Montreal,  there  are  several  things  that  strike 
the  attention  as  peculiar.  Their  streets  are  very 
narrow ;  houses  of  a  dull  and  gloomy  appearance, 
built  of  stone,  covered  with  tin,  and  their  doors  of 
sheet  iron.  This  was  a  fashion  in  ancient  days, 
when,  in  the  time  of  the  Indians,  every  man's  house 
was  his  castle.  The  grey  stone  houses  are 


Letters  to  the  Children.  51 

clumsily  built,  and,  withal,  the  town  has  a  heavy, 
sombre  cast.  The  next  peculiarity  is  the  number 
of  Indians  we  everywhere  meet  with — in  the  mar- 
ket, in  particular.  They  are  full  of  traffic,  and  are 
rather  better  dressed  than  I  expected.  We  visited 
St.  Regis,  the  residence  of  the  Indians — a  village 
with  a  Catholic  Church.  There  are  but  two  white 
families  in  this  place.  J.  B. 

FROM  HIS  JOURNAL.  August  9th,  1827. 

Left  Lansingburg  at  8  A.  M.,  in  company  with  my 
sister  Eva,  and  my  sister-in-law,  Miss  Martin.  At 
Troy,  we  took  the  steamboat,  and  reached  upper 
Red  Hook  Landing  in  the  afternoon  ;  that  night  we 
spent  at  my  uncle  S's.  He  has  a  charming  family; 
his  wife  is  a  model  of  what  a  woman  ought  to  be, 
and  the  daughters  are  pretty,  amiable  and  indus- 
trious. Last  night  I  slept  badly  and  was  feverish. 

To  MRS.  BACHMAN. 

LANSINGBURG,  August  7th,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  HARRIET  :  I  am  longing  to  be  with  you 
in  Charleston.  The  thought  of  my  silent,  deserted 
old  home  here,  is  very  painful  to  me. 

I  have,  to-day,  had  my  last  meeting  with  my 
father's  Executors ;  and  I  believe  that  my  mother's 
affairs  are  so  arranged  that  she  will  be  above  want, 
during  the  rest  of  her  life. 

I  will  devote  the  remainder  of  my  time  in  writ- 
ing to  the  children. 

To  Miss  MARIA  R.  BACHMAN  (Aged  eleven.) : 

My  dear  daughter  Maria:  I  have  received  your 
very  affectionate  letter  and  rejoice  to  hear  from  your 
mother  that  you  are  studious,  industrious,  and  well 
behaved. 


52  John  Bachman. 

I  thank  3rou  for  your  letter:  you  will  be  remem- 
bered when  I  reach  New  York. 

Try  ever  to  please  your  mother,  and  then  I  can 
cheerfully  subscribe  myself, 

Your  affectionate  father, 

J.  B. 
To  Miss  MARY  ELIZA  : 

My  dear  Eliza:  Your  letter  was  a  very  good  one 
for  a  girl  of  your  age,  I  am  glad  that  you  promise 
to  write  again,  and  to  try,  each  time,  to  improve  up- 
on the  last. 

I  hope  on  my  return,  that  your  mother  may  be 
able  to  tell  me  that  you  have  been  obedient  and  in- 
dustrious. Kiss  grand-mama  Davis*  for  me  and 
tell  her  I  thank  her  for  having  helped  to  keep  alive 
our  poor  little  Ellen,  (one  of  the  twins.) 

Your  loving  father, 

J.  B. 
To  Miss  JANE  LEE  BACHMAN: 

My  dear  daughter  Jane:  When  you  are  older, 
and  when  your  eyes  grow  strong,  you,  too,  will 
write  me  a  letter,  and  try  to  do  as  well  as  the  rest  of 
the  girls. 

Tell  }^our  teacher  to  let  you  have  a  holiday  when 
father  comes  home,  and  give  a  "  howd'ye  "  from  me 
to  all  the  servants.  Your  loving  father, 

J.  B. 

To  Miss  HARRIET  EVA  BACHMAN  : 

My  dear  little  Harriet:  Your  father  will  not  for- 
get you.  Be  a  good  girl,  and,  on  Monday  morning, 
quite  early,  you  will  get  up  and  say,  "  father  arid 
aunt  have  come  home,"  and  then  we  shall  open  the 
trunks,  and  then — !  Kiss  little  Julia  for  me ;  tell 
her  to  learn  to  talk  plain  before  we  come  home;  and 

*A  devoted  friend  whom  the  children  called  Grand-mother, 


Hope  Deferred.  53 

say  to  the  twins,  father  wants  them  to  make  haste 
and  grow  fat.  Your  loving  father,  J.  B. 

P.  S. — Dear  }]  ife :  Let  chanticleer  rather  be  locked 
up  than  give  offense  to  your  neighbors.  I  am  sorry 
for  the  loss  of  the  geraniums  and  the  ducks ;  but  it 
would  help  neither,  were  I  to  cry  my  eyes  out,  and 
I  hope  that  you  will  not  make  yourself  unhappy 
about  these  trifling  things.  My  love  to  your  mother, 
and  thanks  to  all  who  helped  you  nurse  our  Ellen. 
Remember  me  to  John  Schwartz  ;  tell  him  when  he 
goes  to  the  postoffice  to-morrow,  he  will  find  a  letter 
from  me.  Your  affectionate  husband,  J.  B. 

The  morrow  came,  but  did  not  bring  the  promised 
letter.  Little  Harriet  and  the  rest  of  the  loving 
household  watched  and  waited — the  absent  one 
came  not.  He  was  lying  ill,  almost  unto  death,  in 
New  York,  from  a  fever  contracted  on  the  lakes. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
ILLNKSS. 

What  doest  thou  ?    Go  on  thy  way, 

Thy  work  thy  Lord  providing, 
Thy  strength  conferring  day  by  day, 

Thy  steps  His  Spirit  guiding. 

GEOROB  H.  BABOOCK. 

EXTREME  ILLNESS  FROM  A  FEVER  CONTRACTED  ON  THE  "  GREAT 
LAKES" — EXTRACTS    FROM    HIS   JOURNAL — LETTER    TO     HIS 

VESTRY — JOHN    G.    SCHWARTZ    TAKES   CHARGE    OF    ST.    JOHN'S 
IN    THE    ABSENCE    OF    THE    PASTOR. 

1827. 
(Extracts  from  Journals.) 

Augmt  10th. — This  morning,  after  breakfast,  I 
paid  a  visit  of  an  hour  to  Dr.  Quitman.  I  rode  a 
rough-going  horse,  felt  a  good  deal  incommoded, 
and  returned  home  with  a  little  fever.  Before  night 
I  grew  worse.  On  the  morning  of  the  llth,  fearful 
that  I  should  become  very  sick,  and  anxious  to 
obtain  suitable  medical  assistance,  I  determined  on 
going  immediately  to  New  York.  We  arrived  at 
what  is  called  the  State  Dock,  in  Rhinebeck;  but  we 
were  a  few  minutes  too  late,  arid  saw  the  steamboat 
pass.  Here  I  took  a  bed,  having  the  fever  on  me. 
In  the  afternoon  we  crossed  the  river  to  meet 
another  steamboat.  We  had  a  horrid  time  in  cross- 
ing. It  was  raining — the  boat  was  loaded  to  the 
water's  edge,  and  crowded  with  passengers — the 
ladies  were  much  alarmed,  and  we  were  thankful 
that  we  crossed  over  with  our  lives.  The  steamboat 


Illness.  55 

soon  arrived,  and  we  got  on  board.  I  immediately 
took  to  my  berth,  very  sick.  About  nine  o'clock 
they  were  obliged  to  have  my  sister  (Mrs.  Dale)  sent 
for,  as  I  had  fainted.  Here  was  another  trouble. 
The  passengers  took  fright,  and  as  I  had  to  be  led 
on  deck  by  a  couple  of  servants,  they  all  took  to 
their  heels,  like  a  flock  of  frightened  sheep,  down 
into  the  forward  cabin  ;  but,  having  occasion  to  pass 
through  that  way  as  the  nearest  to  my  berth,  they 
again  took  a  fresh  start.  I  believe  if  I  had  followed 
them  up,  some  of  them  would  have  jumped  over- 
board. When  I  got  fairly  into  my  berth,  down 
came  the  captain,  sent  by  the  passengers,  to  know 
what  kind  of  fever  I  had.  I  was  afraid  they  meant 
to  land  me  on  some  desolate  place, and  so  gave  them 
a  full  account  of  all  that  I  had  experienced.  I  heard 
no  more,  but  spent  a  most  dreadful  night.  I  was 
glad  to  see  the  morning  light  of  Sunday. 

August  12th. — Miss  Martin  had  early  written  a 
note  to  Mr.  Mortimer,  a  kind  friend,  who  had  been 
our  traveling  companion  for  many  hundred  miles, 
He  came  immediately,  and  wanted  to  take  me  to  his 
house.  This  I  declined,  and  was  driven  to  Mrs, 
Waldron's,  in  Broadway,  whose  kindness  and  sym- 
pathy I  shall  ever  have  reason  to  remember.  Dr. 
Mott,  one  of  the  most  skilful  physicians  in  New 
York,  was  called  in.  He  immediately  recommended 
cupping — a  horrible  operation ;  but  it  greatly  re- 
lieved my  head — the  principal  seat  of  the  disease. 

13th  of  August. — I  awoke  under  the  impression 
that  my  fever  was  to  be  of  short  continuance. 
That  afternoon,  however,  it  returned. 

On  the  19th,  my  eye-sight  was  gone — the  whole 
world  was  shut  up  to  me  in  darkness.  I  tried,  some- 
times, to  convince  myself  that  I  was  under  a  delu- 
sion ;  but  I  soon  knew  that  it  was  all  a  sad  reality. 
The  conviction  flashed  over  my  mind — here  your 


50  John  Bachman. 

earthly  pilgrimage  is  to  be  brought  to  a  close.  It 
struck  me  as  somewhat  strange  that  I  should  be 
torn,  at  so  early  an  age,  from  my  wife,  my  children, 
and  my  people.  But  I  recalled  to  my  mind  how 
many  had,  under  similar  circumstances,  been  re- 
moved from  the  midst  of  their  families  and  useful- 
ness, and  I  ceased  to  murmur.  I  had,  for  some 
years,  made  no  will.  My  property  had  undergone 
some  changes,  and  my  affairs  in  the  North  and 
South,  were  not  satisfactorily  settled;  but  I  found 
my  mind  was  not  strong  enough  to  support  the  in- 
vestigation. With  a  heavy  heart,  I  turned  my 
thoughts  to  my  dear  family.  I  had  lived  with  my 
wife  for  twelve  years.  She  had  been  one  of  the 
most  fond  and  affectionate  of  wives.  Her  life  had 
been  devoted  to  me  ;  and  with  her  I  had  spent  the 
happiest  years  of  nry  life.  Never  had  two  persons 
lived  more  harmoniously ;  and  to  die  now,  far 
away  from  her,  was  most  distressing — and  then  my 
seven  little  children.  Where  •  is  the  parent  who  can 
be  willing  to  part  from  these,  without  casting  one 
longing,  lingering  look  behind?  But  I  remem- 
bered the  promises  of  God. 

Then  I  began  to  inquire,  Is  thy  heart  right  with 
God  ?  It  was  a  solemn  inquiry.  I  remembered  that 
my  life  had  been  far  from  perfect,  and  that  in  my 
younger  years,  I  had  been  rather  wild.  Still  I  re- 
membered, too,  that  I  had  early  commenced  the 
study  of  divinity,  and  undeviatingly  endeavored  to 
pursue  the  path  of  integrity  and  usefulness.  Through 
the  mercy  of  a  Saviour,  I  hoped  I  could  look  forward 
to  the  salvation  of  my  soul.  But  before  I  had  time  to 
go  over  half  the  ground,  I  found  an  inexpressible 
satisfaction  and  joy  within.  Nothing  that  this 
world  can  afford,  can  ever  be  equal  to  it.  There 
were  no  forebodings,  no  fears,  no  doubts,  and  I  was 
enabled  inwardly  to  say,  "  O  death,  where  is  thy 


Recovery.  57 

sting",  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory — thanks  be  to 
God  who  giveth  us  the  victory,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  I  wished  for  nothing  more,  and  I 
cheerfully  resigned  myself,  and  all  that  was  mine,  to 
that  Great  Being,  who  holds  in  his  hands  the  keys 
of  life  and  death,  and  who  goes  with  his  children 
through  the  lonely  grave  even  to  the  resurrection  of 
the  just. 

In  the  mean  time,  another  physician  had  been 
called  in.  My  distressed  sister-in-law,  Miss  Martin, 
considered  it  all  over  with  me,  and  gave  the  sad 
intelligence  to  my  family  in  Charleston. 

The  kindness  of  friends,  the  skill  of  Physicians, 
the  prayers  of  Ministers,  seemed  all  to  be  of  no  avail, 
till  011  the  night  of  the  23d  of  August. 

I  began  to  feel  an  unusual  burning  in  the  back 
of  my  neck.  All  night  I  was  in  excruciating  pain, 
and,  when  the  light  of  the  morning  broke  into  my 
chamber, — Great  God — I  could  see!  I  looked,  and 
looked  again,  and  the  light  seemed  to  come  upon  me, 
like  an  angel's  visit,  to  bid  me  live.  I  looked 
around  my  chamber,  and  every  well  known  object 
became  familiar.  I  tried  to  rouse  myself  to  ascer- 
tain whether  all  was  not  delusion,  but  Miss  Martin 
and  Miss  Cross,  came  in  at  that  moment,  and  I  saw 
every  feature  in  their  countenances.  They  noted 
the  change,  and  their  hearts  overflowed  with  joy 
and  gratitude. 

Yes,  it  was  the  will  of  heaven  that  I  should  live. 
That  I  should  look  again  on  the  charms  of  earth 
and  heaven ;  that  I  should  go  on  the  mighty  waters ; 
that  I  should  mingle  in  the  family  circle,  embrace 
wife  and  children,  and  enjoy  that  heaven  on  earth — 
domestic  felicity !  It  appeared  to  be  the  will  of  God 
that  I  should  again  minister  to  my  people,  and 
preach  the  everlasting  gospel  to  a  sinful  world — 
teach  truth,  integrity,  justice,  and  mercy  to  man, 


58  John  Bachman. 

and  direct  the  sinner  to  that  Saviour,  whose  lan- 
guage is,  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to 
the  waters ;  and  he  that  hath  no  money — come,  buy 
wine  and  milk,  without  money  and  without  price." 
"  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous 
man  his  thoughts,  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord, 
and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him ;  and  unto  our 
God  and  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  About  9  A. 
M.,  the  physicians  came  in.  Their  countenances 
brightened,  and  I  heard  Dr.  Nelson,  whose  counte- 
nance I  now  saw  for  the  first  time,  exclaim: 
"  Now  all  is  safe."  From  that  moment  I  date  my  re- 
covery. 

August  29th. — I  was  so  much  better,  that  I  could 
be  left  alone.  In  the  absence  of  Miss  Martin,  I 
crawled  out  of  bed,  found  pen  and  paper,  and  be- 
gan a  letter  to  my  wife,  knowing  that  it  would  afford 
her  great  delight  to  be  told  by  my  own  hand- writing 
that  I  was  safe.  I  filled  my  paper,  and  found  that 
I  had  yet  a  hundred  things  to  say. 

August  30th. — Wrote- to  my  vestry. — (Letter given 
later.) — Tried  to  walk  to  day — I  am  very  weak. 

August  31st. — I  felt  so  much  better  that  I  thought 
I  would  again  write  to  my  wife,  and,  wishing  to  say 
something  pleasant  to  her,  F  asked  a  friend  and  Miss 
Martin  to  accompany  me  to  Thorburn's  establish- 
ment for  the  sale  of  rare  plants.  It  was  near,  and  I 
reached  there  without  fatigue.  A  chair  was  placed 
for  me,  and  moved  as  I  wished  to  change  my  posi- 
tion. Among  the  most  beautiful  evergreens  were 
the  India  Rubber,  with  leaves  still  larger  and  more 
glossy  than  the  Magnolia  Grandiflora— a  Cactus 
Triangularis  in  full  bud — one  new  plant  from  South 
America,  whose  leaves,  colored  by  nature,  formed  a 
handsome  flower;  and  many  other  plants.  I  thought 
of  my  wife,  but  my  recent  expenses  had  been  so 
great,  that  I  dared  not  purchase.  I  returned  home, 


Letter  to  his  Vestry.  59 

and   was  able  to  write  pleasantly  and  satisfactorily 
to  her,  and  also  to  ray  friend,  Dr.  Wilson. 

September  2nd. — God's  blessed  Sabbath  !  I  woke 
feeling  pretty  strong;  but  my  friends  thought  I  ought 
not  to  go  out.  I  sent  Miss  Martin  to  my  friend's,  Mr. 
Schaeffer's,  church,  designing  to  keep  my  chamber ; 
but  I  heard  one  of  the  tunes  sung  in  my  church, 
and  mechanically  pulled  on  my  coat,  took  a  little 
boy  with  me,  and  went  into  the  church,  as  the  minis- 
ter gave  out  his  text.  Many  pew-doors  were  thrown 
open  to  me,  and  I  was  able  to  remain  to  the  end, 
without  much  fatigue.  To-morrow^,  I  design  to  go 
on  a  recruiting  voyage  to  New  Haven,  and  other 
parts  of  New  England.* 

LETTER  TO  THE    VESTRY. 

NEW  YORK,  August,  1827. 

GENTLEMEN  :  You  have  no  doubt,  for  some  weeks 
past,  heard  many  melancholy  details  of  my  suffer- 
ings and  danger,  and  I  hasten,  at  the  first  moment 
of  returning  strength  and  health,  to  inform  you  of 
the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God  towards  me.  He 
interposed  in  my  behalf,  "\yhen  my  friends,  my 
physicians,  and  myself,  had  ceased  to  hope,  and  He 
has  restored  my  strength,  much  sooner  than  any  of 
us  contemplated. 

I  was  hastening  down  to  New  York  in  order 
to  sail  on  the  "  Niagara,"  and  stopped  a  night  at 
my  uncle's,  and  another  at  Dr.  Quitman's,  in 
Rhinebeck.  There  I  felt  the  first  attack  of  a 
fever,  which  nearly  proved  fatal  to  me.  I  was  fear- 
ful I  should  be  very  sick,  and  made  an  effort  to  get 
to  New  York  for  medical  assistance.  That  night 
I  nearly  died  in  the  steamboat,  having  fainted 

*He  did  not  go  to  New  Haven,  but  to  Newport. 


60  John  Bachman. 

several  times.  I  was  carried  next  morning,  almost 
insensible,  to  a  boarding-house,  where  I  am  at 
present,  on  Broadway.  After  having  been  cupped, 
the  pain  in  my  head  subsided  very  much.  The 
physician,  Dr.  Mott,  (a  kind  and  skilful  man), 
began  to  think  I  should  only  have  a  mild  intermit- 
tent fever,  and  I  yet  entertained  hopes  of  sailing  in 
the  "  Niagara."  It  is  well,  however,  that  she  sailed 
without  me ;  for,  had  I  taken  passage  on  board  that 
ship,  I  never  should  have  reached  the  land  alive. 
After  a  few  days,  the  fever  began  to  put  on  a  more 
formidable  appearance,  and  to  remit  no  longer.  I 
had  a  burning  thirst,  and  an  incessant  and  violent 
headache.  I  grew  every  day  worse,  and  my  disease 
beginning  to  put  on  a  typhoid  form,  the  physician 
informed  us  that,  if  such  should  be  the  case,  he 
could  no  longer  be  of  any  assistance.  I  found,  at 
last,  that  I  could  no  longer  see  anything  before  me ; 
and  as  this,  among  the  many  sick  that  I  had  seen, 
was  always  a  forerunner  of  death,  the  conviction 
came  over  me  that  my  time  was  now  come,  and  that 
my  life,  chequered  with  joy  and  sorrow,  with  good 
and  ill,  was  now  about  to  be  brought  to  a  close. 
The  thought  of  my  dear  and  interesting  family  was 
a  sore  trial  to  me.  But  I  called  to  mind  the  good- 
ness of  God  to  many,  under  like  circumstances,  and 
I  was  comforted  by  the  promise  of  God,  "  Leave  thy 
fatherless  children,  I  will  preserve  them  alive,  and 
let  thy  widows  trust  in  Me." 

I  then  began  to  review  my  own  sinful  life.  I 
found  many  failings  and  imperfections  for  which 
I  implored  the  pardon  of  God,  through  the  mercy 
of  my  Saviour.  But  the  review  of  my  life,  during 
my  ministry,  and  particularly  during  the  time 
I  was  with  you,  gave  me  satisfaction.  I  felt  that 
more  might  have  been  done,  but  still  I  also 
felt  that,  amid  the  weaknesses  of  human  nature, 


His  Illness.  01 

I  had  endeavored  to  discharge  faithfully  that 
great  duty  of  leading  the  sinner  to  the  cross  of 
the  Saviour,  and  directing  my  fellow-men  to  the 
paths  of  virtue,  integrity,  and  religion.  Ere  I 
had  time  much  further  to  reflect,  a  sweet  peace, 
a  heavenly  calm  came  over  my  mind,  and  I 
felt  a  joy  which  passeth  all  understanding.  It 
seemed  as  if  some  kind  angel  from  heaven  had  been 
sent  on  a  message  of  love  and  mercy,  to  cheer  and 
bless  me.  About  this  time,  my  old  friend,  Dr. 
Mayer,  from  Philadelphia,  called  to  see  me.  I  could 
hear,  by  his  voice,  that  he  was  much  affected,  but  I 
could  not  see  his  countenance,  and  wre  parted  as  for 
the  last  time  in  this  world.  In  the  meantime, 
another  physician  had  been  called  in,  without  my 
knowing  it  for  some  days.  I  was  still  waiting  for  the 
determination  of  the  Almighty.  I  had  no  wish  of  my 
own.  Death  to  those  who  are  prepared  does  not 
appear  to  me  to  have  as  many  terrors  as  I  once 
thought.  Providence  seems  kindly  to  blunt  the 
arrows  of  pain,  and  to  extract  the  sting  of  death. 
About  the  fith  or  sixth  day  of  my  blindness,  I  began, 
one  night,  to  feel  an  unusual  pain  in  the  back  of  my 
neck.  It  seems  a  blister  had  then  taken  effect,  and 
the  next  morning  I  could  see  again.  I  gazed  with 
inexpressible  delight  upon  the  light  of  the  sun,  and 
on  the  countenances  of  my  friends — and  now  it  ap- 
peared to  me  that  it  was  the  will  of  God  that  I 
should  again  go  forth  in  this  busy  world  to  dis- 
charge my  duty  as  a  husband,  father  and  a  Chris- 
tian minister.  From  day  to  day  I  continued  to  im- 
prove. 

My  friends  had  kindly  watched  around  my  bed 
in  all  my  sickness — my  sister,  (Mrs.  Dale,)  Miss 
Martin,  and  Miss  Cross  never  left  me  for  many 
nights  together.  Rev.  Mr.  Schaeffer  was  with  me 
continually.  Mr.  Buckley,  and  Mr.  Ralston,  (a  plan- 


62  John  Bachman. 

ter  from  one  of  your  islands,)  sat  up  with  me  almost 
every  night ;  and  many  other  friends  were  unremit- 
ting in  their  attentions.  I  am  now  so  well  as  to  be  able 
to  sit  up  in  an  easy  chair,  and  am  able  to  loiter  about 
the  room.  I  know  that  my  vestry  and  my  people 
will  join  me  heartily  in  praise  and  thanksgiving 
to  Almighty  God.  He  will,  in  all  human  proba- 
bility, bring  us  together  again,  in  health  and  happi- 
ness. My  physicians  advised  me  to  travel  a  little 
into  New  England  to  recover  my  strength,  and 
probably  I  shall,  next  week  try  to  leave  this  noisy 
city.  *****  j.  B. 

The  anxiety  in  the  Charleston  home  and  flock 
had  been  intense.  Fearing  the  worst;  all  letters 
were  directed  to  the  care  of  the  family  physician,  Dr. 
Sam'l.  Wilson.  John  Schwartz  deputed  himself 
receiver  of  these  letters,  and  drove  to  the  postoffice, 
where  he  was  met  by  Dr.  Wilson. 

In  one  of  his  letters  to  the  absent  pastor,  he  de- 
scribes, very  graphically,  bringing  one  of  these  letters 
to  Mrs.  Bachman — gives  the  names  of  the  many 
persons  who  had  assembled  to  hear  the  contents — 
tells  of  the  excitement  when  it  was  announced  that 
there  was  hope  of  recovery.  Several  attempted  to 
read  the  letter  aloud,  but  their  voices  gave  way, 
finally  Dr.  Wilson  announced  the  cheering  news 
to  the  excited  group. 

During  the  protracted  illness  of  the  pastor,  John 
Schwartz  was  requested  by  the  Vestry  of  St.  John's 
to  continue  his  services  to  the  Church.  He  had 
preached  acceptably  twice  every  Sabbath,  lectured  in 
the  week,  and  visited  the  sick  in  the  congregation. 


Anxiety  of  the  Congregation,  63 

Thus  he  endeared  himself,  more  and  more,  to  the 
heart  of  his  father  in  Christ,  and  to  the  people  of 
St.  John's. 

[FROM  JOHN  G.  SCHWARTZ.] 

"  The  cheering  intelligence  has  just  reached  us  that 
you  are  out  of  danger. 

"  I  would  not  attempt  to  describe  my  feelings  of 
sorrow  during  the  past  week,  or  of  joy  at  the  present 
moment.  You  cannot  easily  conceive  in  what  an 
awful  state  of  suspense  we  were  placed  by  the  an- 
nouncement of  your  extreme  illness. 

"The  tidings  reached  us  on  Sunday  morning,  26th 
of  August.  The  congregation  were  assembling,  but 
Mrs.  Bach  man  had  not  reached  the  church.  It  was 
decided  that  it  would  not  do  to  permit  her  to  find 
us  in  such  distress ;  it  was  agreed,  therefore,  that  I 
should  dismiss  the  congregation  and  communicate 
the  intelligence  to  her,  if  possible,  before  she  left 
home.  From  that  time  until  the  present,  I  have 
remained  almost  constantly  with  her,  endeavoring 
to  sustain  and  cheer  her.  To  add  to  our  distress, 
the  mails  were  continually  failing — now  we  look 
upon  it  as  providential,  as  the  tidings  in  the  letters 
would  only  have  served  to  extinguish  the  least 
glimmering  of  hope.  Dr.  Wilson,  Mr.  K.  and  my- 
self, were  always  at  the  Postoffice  when  the  mail 
arrived.  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Bacot,  the 
Postmaster,  we  received  our  mail  before  the  rest 
were  assorted  ior  delivery ;  with  Mrs.  B.'s  per  mis- 


64  John  Bacliman. 

sion,  we  opened  the  letters — as  crowds  of  people 
were  anxiously  waiting  at  the  door  of  the  office  for 
tidings  of  you. 

"  You  may  conceive  the  delight  I  felt  last  night, 
when  I  handed  Mrs.  Bachman  down  stairs ;  she  had 
for  a  week  confined-  herself  to  her  chamber,  in  a 
state  of  suspense  as  distressing  as  it  was  awful. 

"  Do  not  let  your  mind  be  disturbed  about  your 
family.  I  need  not  assure  you  that  I  shall  do  every 
thing  I  can  that  will  tend  to  their  comfort.  The 
greatest  happiness  I  enjoy  is  found  in  the  perform- 
ance of  my  duty  to  you  and  yours — a  dut}^  of  grati- 
tude whose  obligations  I  hope  to  feel  as  long  as  I 
have  breath  to  call  you  my  friend — a  duty  second 
only  to  that  I  owe  to  my  God  and  my  mother.  The 
circumstances  of  our  late  sorrows  have  made  me 
look  upon  myself  more  as  a  member  of  your  family 
than  as  your  student.  And  I  know  that  my  feelings 
towards  Mrs.  B.  were  not  inferior  to  those  of  an  affec- 
tionate son  to  the  fondest  of  mothers. 

"To  every  member  of  your  congregation  your 
illness  has  been  an  affliction,  and  your  recovery  a 
blessing.  I  think  that  I  could  die  easy  and  happy, 
if  I  had  such  a  congregation  weeping  for  me,  and 
praying  for  my  welfare.  Though  all  are  anxious  to 
see  you  again,  yet  we  can  bear  your  prolonged  ab- 
sence more  cheerfully,  when  we  reflect  that,  by  it, 
you  will  return  to  us  with  renewed  strength  and 
vigor.  I  hope  to  preach  regularly  twice  on  Sundays. 

"  The  yellow  fever  still  prevails,  and  a  still  more 
fatal  fever  on  the  *'  Neck."  I  performed  the  funeral 


A  Prayer.  65 

service  over  Mr.  H. — the  fifteenth  funeral  since  you 
left  me  in  charge. 

Your  grateful  friend, 

J.  G.  S." 

"P.  S.— Your  little  Harriet  says:     'Father  got 
better,  because  I  prayed  for  him." 


CHAPTER  V. 

1827    TO    1833. 

CONVALESCENCE  AND  RETURN  TO    CHARLESTON — A    HOMESTEAD 

BUILT — DEATH    OF    HIS    TWIN    DAUGHTERS — NULLIFICATION — 
HIS   AGED   MOTHER — LETTERS. 

NEW.  YORK,  September  1st,  1827. 
To  Mrs.  BACHMAN  : 

MY  DEAR  WIFE  :  "  For  three  weeks  1113-  time 
has  been  passed  among  doctors,  nurses,  and  books ; 
the  latter  are  welcome  now.  Soon  I  shall  be  ready 
for  travel  in  New  England.  My  doctors  came  to 
see  me  together,  about  five  days  ago.  They  were 
delighted  to  find  me  so  well ;  and  the  consulting 
physician  jokingly  observed,  he  would  not  come 
any  more  to  be  laughed  at  by  his  patient.  They 
feel  rejoiced  at  the  idea  of  having  been  the  instru- 
ments to  restore  me.  They  talk  of  the  strength  of 
mind,  patience,  and  cheerfulness  I  evinced  through- 
out my  sickness.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Duff,  an  Episcopal 
clergyman  about  my  age,  was  attacked  within  a  few 
days,  and  died,  when  I  was  at  the  worst;  it  was 
kept  from  me  till  very  recently.  Thus  you  see, 
"  one  has  been  taken  and  another  left." 

Dr.  Mott  still  visits  and  prescribes  for  me.  I 
must  have  given  immense  trouble  to  my  landlady 
and  friends. 

Home,  just  now,  seems  to  me  like  a  distant  Para- 
dise that  I  cannot  reach  ;  but  I  try  to  repress  the 
thought. 


At  Newort.  67 


I  have  to  write  slowly  and  imperfectly,  it  ex- 
hausts me  ;  yet  I  find  it  hard  to  stop. 

Tell  my  children  to  obey  their  mother,  and  to 
think  of  their  absent  father,  who  rejoices  on  their 
account,  that  he  has  risen  almost  from  the  grave. 

About  their  health.  Should  they  be  taken  ill, 
send  for  Dr.  Wilson.  I  have  confidence  in  his 
skill;  his  attentions,  I  know,  will  be  unbounded; 
and  if  there  is  danger  he  will  call  in  a  consulting 
physician.  Leave  the  rest  to  Providence,  and  do 
not  make  yourself  unhappy  about  them.  Kiss 
them  all  for  me.  J.  B. 

Extract  of  a  letter  to  a  friend  and  neighbor  in 
Charleston  : 

NEWPORT,  R.  I.,  September  5th,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  GORDO>T  :  I  arrived  in  the  North  in 
health  and  spirits.  Found  my  poor  mother  a 
cripple  for  life  ;  but  her  general  health  has  im- 
proved. I  had  a  fortnight  to  spare  before  I  could 
attend  to  business,  and  we  concluded,  suddenly,  to 
take  a  trip  to  the  West  and  North.  Miss  Martin  is 
an  excellent  travelling  companion,  and  we  picked 
up,  at  the  start,  a  most  delightful  party,  that  made 
a  journey  of  twelve  hundred  miles  most  pleasant. 
We  travelled  sometimes  in  carriages  and  sometimes 
in  canal  boats  —  sometimes  straight  forward,  and  at 
other  times  out  of  the  way  to  see  a  curiosity. 
Sometimes  we  rested  a  day,  and  at  other  times 
travelled  at  night.  The  eye  of  curiosity  was  wide 
awake.  The  wonders  of  nature  and  art  were  thrown 
open  before  us.  The  western  parts  of  New  York 
have  recently,  with  a  giant's  stride,  emerged  from  a 
wilderness  to  a  garden,  and  fine  towns  of  brick 
houses,  and  taverns,  and  churches,  have  sprung  up 


G8  John  Bad  Mian. 

like  magic,  while  they  are  just  pulling  up  the  green 
stumps  in  the  road. 

I  must  be  brief,  for  I  intend  galloping  to  Niagara, 
and  through  Canada,  and  down  Lake  Champlain. 
I  have  passed  the  Hudson,  whose  shores  present 
monuments  of  the  works  of  God  and  the  beauties 
of  nature,  that  will  be  admired  while  taste,  and 
feeling,  and  judgment,  remain  in  the  world.  The 
canals  are  proud  monuments  of  art.  Erie  and 
Ontario,  have,  by  this  time,  mingled  their  waters 
in  the  Great  Western  Canal.  Here  boats  are  sailing 
on  the  aqueduct  above,  and  passing  under  the 
arches  beneath.  At  Lockport,  you  rise  by  eight 
double  locks,  sixty -two  feet  perpendicular  ;  and,  on 
the  same  principle,  you  might  rise  to  the  top  of  Mt. 
Caucasus.  One  thousand  boats  are  on  the  canal. 
In  a  few  years  every  dollar  of  the  expense  will  have 
been  liquidated.  All  this  world  of  produce  floats 
on  to  the  great  capital,  where  men  grow  giddy,  and 
their  hearts  proud  of  their  prosperity. 

We  went  to  an  Indian  village,  near  Niagara,  and 
the  chief  showed  us  his  drawings — the  belt  and  wam- 
pum and  battle  axe — sold  us  one  of  his  books,  full  of 
fables — we  saw  an  Indian  wedding  party  ;  the  girls 
went  to  the  village  of  the  groom,  reversing  our  order, 
for  she  came  to  fetch  him.  He  will  never  be  a  Jerry, 
tell  my  wife  and  Mrs.  Gordon,  till  he  brings  his  bride 
to  Cannonsborough.  We  stopped  for  three  days  to  gaze 
at  the  Falls  of  Niagara.  For  two  days  I  looked  up  in 
stupid  wonder,  and  could  not  speak.  'Tis  folly  to 
attempt  a  description.  Let  the  sceptic  just  take  his 
stand  on  a  rock,  on  the  British  side,  and  look  up 
before  him  and  round  about,  and  to  the  heavens 
above.  The  great  waters  of  Erie  have  been  con- 
gregated together,  pressed  into  a  narrow  space,  roar- 
ing and  foaming  angrily  to  be  released,  and  they 
come  with  one  awful  plunge,  tumbling  down— down 


Niagara.  69 

the  dark  abyss.  The  earth  trembles,  the  spray  arises 
up  to  the  heavens,  forms  itself  into  clouds,  and 
passes  away. 

I  was  led  clean  under  the  falls,  (the  fellow  told 
me  as  far  as  man  could  go),  the  rushing  wind  and 
spray,  were  awful,  and  it  was  dark  as  midnight.  I 
came  away  under  the  impression,  that  among  the 
wonders  of  this  world,  are  the  falls  of  Niagara.  We 
passed  across  Lake  Ontario  in  a  sluggish  steamboat. 
The  lake  was  dull.  Its  shores  are  yet  covered  with 
trees — the  axe  of  the  settler  is  not  heard.  One  long 
line  of  dull  shore  presents  itself  for  hundreds  of 
miles,  and  we  were  glad  to  enter  the  charming  St. 
Lawrence,  with  her  thousand  islands. 

In  the  meantime,  botany  had  been  my  amusement 
all  through  the  country.  I  pulled  up  every  plant  in 
Canada  that  I  could  lay  my  hands  on,  and  Miss  Martin 
preserved  the  specimens.  I  found,  to  my  surprise,  the 
Lobelia  Cardinalis  growing  as  far  as  the  46th  degree 
of  latitude.  The  white  cedar,  which  was  new  to  me, 
is  about  the  most  splendid  tree  I  have  ever  seen. 
We  passed  through  groves  of  them  for  miles.  The 
maple  and  beech,  are  still  the  pride  of  the  western 
forests  ;  and  the  elms  are  the  largest  and  finest  I 
have  ever  seen.  The  sweetbriar  is  here  indige- 
nous— the  whole  air  in  the  morning  is  rendered 
fragrant  by  it.  The  wild  rose  blooms  everywhere 
beneath  your  feet,  and  the  gooseberries  hang  in 
clusters  on  the  sides  of  every  hill  and  ditch.  In 
Montreal,  we  had  them  three  inches  in  circumfer- 
ence. 

We  pursued  our  way  down  the  St.  Lawrence, 
and  arriving  at  the  rapids,  we  all  took  a  boat — about 
fifteen  in  number.  We  went  merrily  down  the 
rapids,  at  one  place,  nine  miles  in  twenty  minutes — 
all  was  life  and  glee.  The  Canadians,  a  light- 
hearted  race,  sang,  and  laughed  and  jumped.  Miss 


70  John  Bachman. 

Martin  gave  us  the  boat  song,  just  as  we  were  going 
down  the  rapids;  and  to  this  day,  we  look  upon  the 
passage  down  the  rapids,  as  the  most  pleasant  in  all 
our  travels.  J.  B. 

BOSTON,  13th  Sept.  1827. 
To  MRS.  BACHMAN: 

Since  I  wrote  you,  I  have  been  sick  again.  I  im- 
proved at  Newport.  Then  a  cold,  chilly  wind,  from 
the  sea,  was  too  severe  for  my  poor,  frame,  and  I  was 
obliged  to  order  a  fire.  On  Sunday  night,  I  had  a 
tremendous  shake,  and  discovered  that  I  had  fever 
and  ague  again.  On  Monday  afternoon,  we  left 
Newport,  in  a  small  steamboat,  We  had  the 
Governor  of  Rhode  Island  on  board,  a  social,  well 
informed  man.  He  called  to  show  us  all  that  was 
to  be  seen  in  Providence:  but  we  had  already  left 
the  place.  In  the  evening,  ray  chills  came  on  in  the 
boat.  When  we  reached  Providence,  there  were  no 
carriages  at  the  wharf.  A  stranger  kindly  went  in 
search  of  a  carriage,  and  at  9  P.  M.,  we  rode  up  to 
the  hotel. 

The  next  morning,  I  took  a  short  walk  to  get  a 
glimpse  of  Providence.  A  gentleman  hailed  me.  It 
was  Mr  M.,  who  had  helped  to  nurse  me  in  New 
York,  when  nearly  at  my  worst — to  meet  me  here, 
so  unexpectedly,  overwhelmed  him  with  joy.  As  I 
was  crawling  along,  a  gentleman  introduced  himself 
to  me,  as  Mr.  G.,  a  son-in-law  of  Dr.  Moser.  He 
lent  me  his  arm,  and  we  went  slowly  through  the 
town.  This  town  is  the  second  in  New  England, 
and  has  taken  away  a  great  part  of  the  trade 
of  Newport.  It  lies  at  the  head  of  the  bay,  and 
has  seventeen  hundred  inhabitants.  Tell  little 
Maria  to  know  all  about  the  geography  of  this,  before 
my  return.  Here  is  Brown  University.  Provi- 


Eye-sight  Affected.  71 

dence  is  a  bustling,  busy  town;  for  twenty  miles 
around  every  stream  is  occupied  by  cotton  factories. 
Immense  fortunes  have  been  made  by  the  Quakers ; 
and  several  flourishing  villages,  such  as  Pawtucket, 
have  sprung  up  within  a  few  years. 

I  came  home,  read  a  little,  and  lounged  about  a 
little.  In  the  afternoon,  the  fever  came  on  two 
hours  earlier,  and  I  was  more  or  less  delirious  all 
night.  Poor  M.  was  with  me,  greatly  distressed. 
They  prepared  to  take  me  again  to  New  York  for 
medical  advice.  On  our  way  to  Washington,  I  took 
tonics,  and  when  we  arrived  in  Boston,  at  3.  P.  M., 
I  felt  really  strong,  and  this  morning,  I  am  almost 
as  well  as  I  ever  was  in  my  life.  These  fevers  re- 
turn so  often,  that  a  man  must  be  continually 
watching  the  enemy.  Do  not  give  yourself  the 
least  uneasiness  about  me.  Soon  all  will  be  well — 
though  I  may  return  to  you  as  yellow  as  a  pump- 
kin— but,  without  the  ague,  I  hope.  I  wish  that 
I  could  give  you  a  good  account  of  my  eyes.  The 
optic  nerve  was  affected  by  high  fevers,  it  seemed  to 
happen  in  a  moment,  at  two  different  times.  From 
this  affliction,  also,  T  am  slowly  recovering.  At 
first  I  had  to  be  led  about  like  a  poor,  blind  man, 
now,  I  walk  the  streets  by  myself,  and  can  read  all 
the  names  on  the  signs. 

To-day,  T  took  a  walk  with  Bishop  Bowen.  When 
he  heard  of  my  illness,  he  came  from  Connecticut  to 
New  York  to  comfort  me ;  but  I  had  left  on  my 
eastern  tour  when  he  arrived.  His  family  are  with 
him,  and  have  been  very  attentive  to  me.  The 
Bishop  had  left  his  spectacles ;  he  is  feeble  and  I 
could  outwalk  him,  and  out-see  him. 

NEW  YORK,  October  1st. 

"  My  good  sister,  Eva,  is  with  me  again ;  she  was 
miserable  about  me.  It  was  reported  that  I  was 


72  John  Bachman. 

dead ;  and  my  old  friend,  Dr.  Blatchford,  rather  pre- 
maturely, announced  it  to  his  people.  Eva  did  not 
believe  it;  yet,  to  be  sure  that  I  am  alive,  she  has 
come  to  see  for  herself.  She  says  Dr.  Blatchford 
evinced  much  feeling  on  the  occasion." 

A  man  sometimes  may  hear  what  the  world 
thinks  of  him  in  his  lifetime.  There  were  two 
notices  written  on  the  supposition  that  I  was  dead  ; 
one  by  Dr.  Weston,  and  the  other  by  Mrs.  Rutledge. 
I  have  not  heard  what  character  they  gave  me— 
good  or  bad — perhaps  I  may  as  well'  not  hear  it. 

I  have  ventured  to  write,  though  I  cannot  read 
one  word  that  I  have  written,  still  I  am  getting  my 
eye-sight  back  so  fast,  that,  in  a  week,  I  hope  to  read 
as  well  as  to  write. 

October  2nd. 
To  THE  SAME  : 

I  have  much  to  write  you,  but  have  only  time  to 
repeat  a  verse  to  you  about  my  stay  in  Boston  : 

a  Boston  is  a  dandy  place, 

The  people  are  all  brothers, 
And  when  one's  got  a  pumpkin  pie, 
He  shares  it  with  the  others." 

I  have  much  to  say  to  you  about  the  elegant 
houses  in  the  midst  of  very  crooked  streets — of  South 
Boston— of  Charlestown  and  Cambridge — the  Col- 
lege and  the  noble  Churches — the  Mall,  and  the 
State  House,  and  the  monument  going  up  on  Bunk- 
er's Hill.  Of  the  kindness  of  the  people,  I  shall 
give  you  a  few  anecdotes.  I  had  stepped  into  the 
reading-room — still  half  blind — I  could  not  read  a 
word  of  the  Charleston  papers  ;  I  asked  a  gentleman 
to  read  me  the  funeral  notices  ;  he  gave  me  all  the 
information  I  needed,  and  then  took  my  arm,  and 
led  me  home,  and  afterwards  he  inquired  after  my 
health  every  day. 


Return  to  Charleston.  73 

Once  I  was  picking  my  way  across  an  alley,  by 
using  my  cane.  A  youth  passing  by,  was  tripped 
up  by  my  cane.  Both  of  us  apologized.  I  asked 
the  way  to  Washington  street,  and  finding  that  I 
was  lost,  he  deposited  his  parcel  at  a  store  (he  was  a 
clerk),  passing  his  father's  house,  he  ran  in  for  a 
moment,  and  brought  me  two  fine  peaches,  and  then 
•conducted  me  to  my  hotel — a  mile  off. 

You  write  me  that  I  am  forbidden  to  come  home 
before  a  frost.  I  hope  that  there  is  no  harm  in 
wishing  that  there  may  be  a  "a  black  frost "  to-night, 
from  Canada  to  East  Bay,  Charleston.  J.  B. 

Dr.  Bachman  remained  in  New  York  until  the 
latter  part  of  November,  anxiously  awaiting  per- 
mission to  return  to  family  and  flock.  He  hailed 
with  delight  the  letter  from  Charleston,  announcing 
n  heavy  freeze — the  greatly  desired  "  black  frost," 
that  removed  the  anxiety  of  his  friends  with  regard 
to  his  return  home.  He  took  passage  in  the  next 
boat  that  sailed  from  New  York  to  Charleston,  and, 
in  due  time,  reached  his  destination.  He  was  wel- 
comed by  family  and  flock,  as  one  whom  death  had 
claimed,  but  the  Giver  of  Life  had  rescued  from  the 
grave.  In  the  sanctuary  his  people  heartily  united 
with  him  in  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  God.  The 
pastor  could  speak  to  his  flock  as  never  before,  for, 
during  their  separation,  he  had  stood  face  to  face 
with  the  "  King  of  Terrors."  He  had  lain  passive 
in  the  hands  of  his.  God,  and  had  realized  that  the 
Master,  who  had  chosen  him  for  a  definite  work, 
could  yet  accomplish  all,  without  his  presence  and 
services.  But,  as  he  stood  in  the  midst  of  his  peo- 


74  John  fiachman. 

pie,  with  a  new  joy,  not  unrningled  with  awe,  he 
realized  that  God  had  given  him  another  and  a 
deeper  consecration  to  his  life-work — a  fresh  com- 
mission "  to  lead  the  sinner  to  the  cross  of  Christ 
and  to  direct  his  fellow-men  into  the  paths  of  virtuer 
integrity,  and  religion."  He  spoke  in  simple,  tender, 
earnest  words — "  Now  is  the  accepted  time,"  and 
the  Spirit  gave  its  unction  to  the  holy  services  of 
that  blessed  Sabbath. 

He  had  regretted,  during  his  illness,  that  his- 
worldly  affairs  were  not  well  arranged ;  now  he 
endeavored  to  plan  wisely  for  the  future. 

Before  accepting  what  he  had  expected  to  be  a 
short  vacation,  he  had  given  out  a  contract  for  the 
building  of  a  comfortable  home — his  wife  desired  a 
roof-tree  of  their  own  to  shelter  their  large  family. 
Alas!  before  the  new  house  could  be  finished,  the 
twins,  Clara  and  Ellen,  not  yet  two  years  old,  sick- 
ened, and,  within  a  month  of  each  other,  died.  It 
was  with  chastened  joy  that  the  pastor  and  his 
family  took  possession  of  their  new  home. 

The  years  1829,  1830  and  1831  we  find  were  filled 
up  with  work  for  the  church,  etc.,  which  will  be 
alluded  to  later. 

FROM  REV.  PHILIP  F.  MAYER. 

PHILADELPHIA,  Aug.  7th,  1832. 

I  was  much  gratified  by  your  favor  of  July  4th  r 
handed  me  by  Mr.  W.,  who  fully  confirms  your  own 
account  of  your  health  and  comfort,  and  superadds 
his  of  your  usefulness,  etc. 


Nullification,  75 

You  have  been,  I  think,  unusually  blessed  by  a 
gracious  Providence,  and  I  never  recollect  my 
agency  in  prompting  your  removal  to  Charleston, 
without  pleasure  and  gratitude.  May  heaven  long 
continue  thus  to  favor  you  and  yours !  *  *  * 

The  latter  part  of  June,  our  father  and  friend, 
Dr.  Quitrnan,  was  released  from  protracted  infirmi- 
ties, and  great  sufferings. 

I  have  reason  to  be  very  thankful  for  the  good 
health  of  my  whole  house.  *  *  * 

We  are,  now,  practically  acquainted  with  the 
cholera,  and  are  far  less  alarmed  than  we  were  six 
weeks  since.  Here,  as  in  other  matters,  neglect  and 
procrastination  produce  the  greatest  danger.  Our 
ministers,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  are  all  at 
their  posts. 

Most  sincerely  do  I  hope  that  what  I  agree  with 
you,  is  a  much  greater  evil  than  cholera,  Nullification, 
may  be,  also,  found  less  frightful,  or  rather  be 
checked  and  rebuked  into  comparative  harmless- 
ness,  by  the  good  sense  and  patriotism  of  your 
fellow-citizens.  *  *  *  God  grant  that  ere  long 
we  may  have  at  the  head  of  the  General  Govern- 
ment a  man  that  will  not  temporize  or  truckle  from 
policy  ;  but,  whilst  employing  all  necessary  means 
of  conciliation,  will,  if  possible,  arrest  treasonable 
designs  in  the  bud.  *  * 

P.  F.  M. 

During  the  days  of  Nullification,  John  Bachman 
was  a  pronounced  Unionist  in  politics.  When  the 
excitement  was  at  its  height,  the  Governor  of  South 
Carolina  appointed  a  day  of  "  Fasting,  Prayer  and 
Humiliation,"  Religious  services  were  held  in  all 
the  churches.  Many  Nullification  sermons  were 
preached.  A  large  congregation  was  assembled  in 


76  John  Bach  man. 

St.  John's  Church.  Charleston.  The  pastor  said  to 
one  of  his  students,  (Edwin  A.  Bolles),  ''I  will  not 
disgrace  my  pulpit  by  preaching  a  political  sermon.'' 
After  the  opening  services,  I  shall  remain  in  the 
Chancel  and  read  "  Christ's  Sermon  on  the  Mount. '' 
This  he  did,  with  great  solemnity,  and  closed  the 
services  with  prayer,  a  hymn  and  the  benediction. 

To  MRS.  BACHMAN  : 

ST.  MATTHEW'S  PARISH,  Nov.  18th,  1832. 

My  Dear  Harriet :  When  I  left  home,  I  was  not 
aware,  that  there  was  a  Postoffice  near,  and  that  we 
could  consequently  hear  from  each  other.  I  find 
that  there  is  an  office  where  letters  are,  however, 
only  received  once  a  week.  The  mail  leaves  on 
Tuesday  morning,  and  although  this  is  Sunday 
night,  I  expect  to  be  so  much  occupied  on  to-mor- 
row, as  to  be  unable  to  write,  I  must,  therefore,  do 
so  this  evening,  and  may  add  a  postscript  to-morrow. 

We  arrived  at  Bradley's,  with  great  ease,  at  three 
o'clock,  (the  day  we  left),  and  at  Mr.  B.'s,  at  the 
same  hour  on  the  next  day.  Found  the  family  all 
at  church — six  miles  off.  They  had  gone  to  the 
meeting  of  the  Synod,  which,  by  mistake,  had  been 
appointed  a  day  too  soon.  We  followed  on  to 
church ;  half  way  we  met  the  family  returning,  and 
they  insisted  on*  our  going  back  with  them,  which 
we  did.  This  proved  a  long  journey  for  our  horse, 
and  I  was  afraid  that  we  might  have  injured  him  : 
but  it  proved  otherwise,  and  the  horse  and  masu-r. 
and,  I  hope,  mistress,  too,  are  all  well. 

The  Synod  met  on  Saturday,  (the  time  appointed), 
all  the  members  were  present  and  in  good  feeling. 
We  accomplished  the  usual  quantity   of  bush    - 
On  Saturday,  and  to-day,  we   had    overwhelming 


A  f  M/nod.  77 

congregations.  Mealy  preached  first;  I  succeeded, 
with  a  pretty  long  sermon;  then  the  Communion 
followed.  After  which  Mr.  Dreher,  preached  a 
funeral  sermon  over  Rev.  Mr.  Scheck's  youngest 
child,  which  was  huried  last  week.  The  following 
is  the  practice :  if  no  minister  is  present  when 
a  person  dies,  he  is  buried,  the  grave  is  only  filled 
up  even  with  the  surface,  and  it  is  not  hilled  up 
until  the  funeral  sermon  is  preached.  This  is  done, 
as  well  for  a  child  of  a  dav  old,  as  for  an  adult — and 
sometimes  not  until  several  months  afterwards.  I 
was  quite  pleased  with  Dreher's  sermon  ;  his  text 
was,  "  The  child  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth."  This 
evening,  Hope  preached,  and  afterwards,  two  of  our 
students  lectured,  and  I  was  agreeably  surprised  at 
their  appearance  and  talents.  The  truth  is,  there 
are  now  eight  or  ten  young  men,  who  are  pursuing 
their  studies,  that  are  likely  to  be  a  credit  to  us,  and 
I  am  greatly  encouraged — their  appearance,  their 
modesty,  and  piety,  all  please  me. 

To-morrow  is  an  eventful  day  with  us,  as  the  plan 
of  location  for  the  Seminary  will  be  decided  on  ; 
Muller  and  Dreher  are  the  champions  for  the  two 
places.  They  are  staying  at  the  same  house  with 
me  (Holman's),  and  I  have  been  much  amused  this 
evening  at  the  sallies  of  wit  that  have  passed  be- 
tween them ;  among  the  rest,  we  induced  them  to 
let  us  hear  the  speeches  that  they  will  probably 
make  before  the  Synod.  There  is  no  telling  how  it 
will  terminate,  as  the  highest  bidder  will  get  it.  I 
made  my  only  speech  on  the  subject  on  Sat- 
urday, and  do  not  intend  to  speak  again,  if  I  can 
help  it. 

I  cannot  tell  when  you  will  see  me ;  we  are  full 
of  business,  and  I  can  scarcely  get  to  town  till  Sat- 
urday. I  am  anxious 1 3  hear  from  home;  but  shall 
4 


78  John  Bachman. 

have  no  opportunity.    It  is  one  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing— so  good  morning.     Love  to  all. 

Your  affectionate  husband,  J.  B. 

P.  S. — Perhaps  it  was  to  humble  my  pride,  that 
when  I  opened  my  trunk  this  morning,  I  found  that 
my  best  coat  was  not  packed  up  in  it,  and,  as  J  had 
rubbed  the  parsons,  last  year,  about  their  "  Blue  and 
Linsey  Woolsey  "  coats,  it  was  no  small  matter  of 
fun  to  them  to  see  their  President  coming  out  in 
the  old  blue-back — pretty  well  worn,  and  tolerably 
woolly  from  Kunhardt's  blankets,  which  I  had 
wrapped  around  me  on  my  journey  to  keep  off  the 
cold.  However,  as  it  was,  there  was  something  ven- 
erable in  it :  the  cuffs  and  the  lining,  at  least,  were 
new.  Besides  I  have  heard  of  those  of  my  cloth 
who  were  in  a  worse  fix  than  I  was  in  to-day.  Can 
you  laugh  off'  mortifications?  My  paper  is  full. 

Monday.  The  Seminary  will  be  located  at  Lex- 
ington. J.  B. 

At  the  close  of  this  year  (1832)  his  beloved  and 
only  sister,  Eva  Dale,  was  removed  by  the  hand  of 
death.  The  loss  of  her  only  daughter  severed  the 
strong  link  that  bound  Mrs.  Jacob  Bachman  to  Lan- 
singburg.  She  willingly,  therefore,  acceded  to  the 
wish  of  her  son  that  she  should  pass  the  rest  of  her 
days  under  his  roof,  and  in  the  spring  of  1838,  he 
went  North  to  bring  her  to  his  home. 

LANSINGBURG,  May  27th,  1833. 

To  MRS.  BACHMAN:  I  have  written  to  you  every 
thing  that  I  could  recollect,  and  that  1  thought 
might  interest  you  ;  but  a  man  can  always  find  some- 
thing to  talk  about  with  his  friends — and  a  husband 


His  Mother.  79 

can  never  feel  alone,  whilst  he  is  conversing  with 
his  wife — for  writing  is  conversation. 

I  am  quite  well ;  have  enjoyed  myself  about  as 
much  as  a  man  can  be  expected  to  do,  who  is  very 
fond  of  domestic  life,  and  who,  after  a  very  few  days 
from  home,  finds  the  world  a  busy,  bustling  scene, 
in  which  he  feels  no  interest,  sufficient  to  cause  him 
to  wish  a  longer  absence. 

I  have  done  what  I  had  to  do,  and  I  have  attend- 
ed to  rny  and  my  mother's  affairs,  as  far  as  I  could. 
I  am  packing  up  all  that  I  think  will  be  useful  to 
her.  We  leave  here  to-morrow  for  New  York,  and 
sail  in  the  steamship  for  Charleston,  on  Saturday 
next. 

The  parting  with  her  early  friends  will  be  hard 
to  my  mother;  but  she  wishes  to  come  to  us — besides, 
she  wants  the  comforts  of  religion.  I  am  quite  de- 
lighted with  Dale's  children,  their  attention  to  their 
grandmother  merits  the  esteem  of  every  one. 

Little  Harriet  is  so  great  a  likeness  to  our  Harriet 
that  I  sometimes  forget  myself,  and  almost  imagine 
that  I  have  my  daughter  before  me.  There  are 
many  inquiries  about  you,  and  sister  Maria,  and  I 
think,  that  you  would  enjoy  very  much  another 
visit  here. 

Two  days  ago  I  visited  the  Bald  Mountains — cer- 
tainly among  the  most  splendid  views  that  ever  I 
beheld.  Albany,  Troy,  Lansingburg  and  Water- 
ford,  were  so  near  that  it  seemed  as  if  I  could  throw 
a  pebble  into  either  of  them — the  beautiful  Hudson 
and  Mohawk  rivers  were  flowing  gently  by,  as  if  at 
my  very  feet.  They  were  covered  writh  boats  and 
bridges,  a  dozen  villages  and  a  hundred  farms,  were 
in  my  eye  at  the  same  moment.  The  hills  and 
valleys,  were  covered  with  green  pastures  and  nu- 
merous flocks ;  the  sounds  of  busy  industry  and  the 
music  of  a  thousand  warblers  that  chanted  around 


80  John  Bachman. 

me,  were  borne  on  the  air  filled  with  the  fragrance 
of  flowers.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  although  it  was  a 
sight  that  angels  might  look  on  with  pleasure,  yet  I 
would  have  exchanged  it  all  for  one  glimpse  of  my 
home. 

Dear  Harriet,  you  will  not  hear  from  me  again 
till  we  meet.  Love  to  Sister  Maria,  the  children 
and  friends.  J.  B. 

The  roof-tree,  at  this  date,  sheltered  a  family  of 
fourteen,  consisting  of  the  parents  and  their  nine 
children ,  the  pastor's  own  mother,  and  his  wife's 
mother  and  sister,  Mrs.  Jacob  Martin,  and  her  gifted 
daughter,  Maria  Martin. 

In  order  that  his  mother,  lame  from  a  fall,  should 
be  able  to  join  the  family  circle,  he  had  a  room  near 
the  dining  room  enlarged  for  her  chamber.  Soothed 
and  cheered  by  the  tender  ministrations  of  her  son 
and  his  family,  she  lived  on  for  many  years  in 
placid  content — attaining  beyond  the  allotted  four 
score  years. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
1823  —  1835. 

THE  SYNOD  AND  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY— EARLY  HISTORY 
OF  THE  LUTHERAN  CONGREGATIONS  AT  EBENEZER  AND  S  WAN- 
XA.lt — VISITED  BY  THE  PASTOR  OF  ST.  JOHN'S — FORMATION 
OF  THE  SOUTH  CAROLINA  SYNOD — THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  AT 
TENNESSEE — SEMINARY  IN  SOUTH  CAROLINA — REV.  JOHN  G. 
SCHWARTZ— ERNEST  HAZELIUS,  D.  D. — THECHARLESTON CHURCH 
PROSPERS-  LETTER  FROM  S.  S.  SCHMUCKER,  D.  D. — DEGREE  OF 
DOCTOR  OP  DIVINITY  CONFERRED  ON  THE  PASTOR  OP  ST. 

JOHN'S. 

DURING  the  period  of  American  colonization,  the 
spirit  of  adventure  and  the  promise  of  rich  gain 
lured  numbers  from  the  over-crowded  population  of 
Europe,  to  the  shores  of  the  newly  discovered  West- 
ern Continent.  But  the  fires  of  religious  persecution 
brought  to  the  colonies  a  noble  class  of  emigrants ; 
those  who  sought,  above  all,  "  freedom  to  worship 
God.'7  "  The  war  of  the  Spanish  Succession  *'  was 
instrumental  in  furnishing  settlers  for  the  English 
Colonies.  The  Edict  of  Nantes  had  been  revoked  by 
the  brilliant  yet  cruel  Louis  XIV.  of  France.  Garden 
spots  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  the  peaceful  and 
prosperous  homes  of  the  Protestants  in  Alsace  and 
the  Palatinate  had  been  laid  waste.  The  refugees 
sought  an  asylum  in  friendly  countries.  God  moved 


•82  John  Uachman. 

with  pity  the  heart  of  a  woman — the  good  Queen 
Anne  of  England  invited  the  poor  Palatinates  to 
her  hospitable  shores.  She  treated  them  with  un- 
bounded kindness,  and,  hoping  to  be  able  still  bet- 
ter to  provide  for  so  large  a  number,  induced  them 
to  migrate  to  America — the  land,  that  promised 
work,  bread  and  religious  freedom  for  all.  Many  of 
them  settled  on  the  Hudson  river  in  the  province 
of  New  York ;  some  in  Newberne,  North  Carolina ; 
others  in  South  Carolina,  principally  in  Charleston 
and  along  the  banks  of  the  Congaree,  Saluda  and 
Broad  rivers.  They  can  also  be  traced  on  the  Savan- 
nah river,  Georgia. 

The  benevolent  Queen,  generously  provided  the 
impoverished  immigrants  with  means  to  build  com- 
fortable homes,  and  furnished  them  with  extensive 
grants  of  lands  for  glebes,  pastorates  and  schools. 
They  clung  to  the  Augsburg  Confession,  to  Luther's 
Catechism,  and  to  their  Bibles  with  the  Sacraments, 
for  they  had  brought  with  them  the  faith  that 
had  stood  the  test  of  persecution  and  martyrdom. 
Their  industry,  morality  and  unswerving  faith  con- 
stituted them  elements  of  strength  in  the  new  colo- 
nies. 

Queen  Annie  had  given  them  what  was  then 
called  "  The  Saxe  Gotha  Tract,"  on  the  banks  of  the 
Congaree  river.  Unhappily,  from  sickness  and  the 
hardships  and  poverty  incident  to  a  life  in  a  new 
colony,  the  pastorates  and  school  tracts  were  scarcely 
occupied,  and  this  source  of  wealth  was  finally  lost 
to  the  Lutheran  Church. 


The  tiahburgers.  83 

Leopold,  Catholic  Archbishop  of  Salzburg,  was 
also  instrumental  in  bringing  valuable  accessions 
of  German  settlers  to  America.  Driven  by  fierce 
cruelty  from  the  Noric  Alps  in  Bavaria,  the  Salz- 
burgers  gladly  emigrated  to  America.  The  sympa- 
thies of  all  Protestant  lands  were  aroused.  The 
historian,  Bancroft,  writes,  "  A  noble  army  of  mar- 
tyrs going  forth  in  the  strength  of  God,  marshalled 
under  no  banners,  save  that  of  the  Cross  and  pre- 
ceded by  no  leaders,  save  their  spiritual  teachers 
and  the  great  Captain  of  their  salvation."  All 
Protestant  Europe  bade  them  Godspeed. 

The  Salzburgers  reached  America  in  1734.  Be- 
fore the  Revolutionary  war,  they  had  built  two 
churches  in  Georgia,  one  at  Ebenezerand  the  other 
at  Savannah. 

In  1823,  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's,  received  leave  of 
absence  from  his  Church  to  visit  these  places,  and 
learn  if  the  congregations  still  existed.  He  found 
that  the  small  building  then  erected,  had  been  se- 
questered. (In  1797,  the  Church  at  Savannah  had 
been  destroyed  by  fire.  On  that  occasion,  St.  John's 
Church,  Charleston,  contributed  $500  towards  re- 
building it.) 

Rev.  Dr.  Bernheim  writes,  *  "  Dr.  Bachman's 
visit  to  Savannah  was  not  one  moment  too  soon. 
By  means  of  his  well  directed  and  energetic  labors, 
a  congregation  was  organized,  and  Rev.  S.  A.  Mealy, 
who  had  received  his  theological  training  from  Dr. 

*German  Settlements  in  the  Carol inas,  by  G.  D.  Bern- 
lu'im,  D.D. 


84  John  Bachman. 

Bachman,  became  its  Pastor.  From  that  time  the 
Lutheran  Congregation  in  Savannah  began  to  pros- 
per." 

"  Having  completed  his  labors  in  Savannah,  he 
extended  his  visit  to  Ebenezer,  for  he  had  learned 
that  though  a  Lutheran  congregation  still  existed 
in  that  place,  its  aged  pastor  (Rev.  John  E.  Berg- 
man) was  fast  sinking  into  the  grave."  Mr.  Berg- 
man was.  a  learned  and  exemplary  German  minister. 
His  son  (Rev.  Christopher  F.)  had  received  a  clas- 
sical education,  and  had  studied  for  the  ministry 
under  his  lather;  but,  not  being  aware  that  Luth- 
eranism  had  an  existence  in  the  South,  he  had 
taken  a  license  to  preach  under  the  auspices  of 
another  denomination.  "  This  was  the  source  of  the 
most  unfeigned  regret,  both  to  his  father  and  his 
father's  congregation." 

"  The  discerning  mind  of  Dr.  Bachman  soon 
penetrated  the  difficulty  under  which  the  younger 
Bergman  labored,  and  he  was  made  the  instrument, 
in  the  hands  of  God,  of  giving  a  new  direction  to 
Rev.  C.  F.  Bergman's  theological  views,  thus  secur- 
ing his  services  to  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  cheer- 
ing the  last  hours  of  a  venerable  servant  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

One  of  the  difficulties  alluded  to  is  explained  by 
the  Patriarch  Lutheran  Missionary,  H.  M.  Muhlen- 
berg,  in  his  "  Journal."  "  Rev.  J.  E.  Bergman  was 
averse  to  the  introduction  of  the  English  language 
in  the  public  services,  though  the  spiritual  interests 
of  younger  generations  demanded  the  change." 


The  Synod  of  South  Carolina.  85 

Referring  to  this  period,  Dr.  Bachman  wrote : 
"  The  establishment  of  our  church  in  the  South,  was 
a  source  of  greater  anxiety  to  my  mind  than  even 
the  prosperity  of  my  own  congregation.  I  came  as 
a  pioneer  in  our  holy  cause.  There  was  but  a  single 
Lutheran  Synod  in  the  Southern  States — that  of 
North  Carolina,  which  had  recently  been  organized, 
and  we  had  no  theological  school." 

The  next  year  (1824),  it  was  proposed  that  a 
Synod  should  be  formed  in  South  Carolina ;  the 
Pastor  of  St.  John's  hailed  the  prospect  with  enthu- 
siasm. He  was  not  present  at  the  preliminary  meet- 
ing; but,  at  its  first  convention,  he  transferred  his 
membership  from  the  Synod  of  New  York  to  that 
of  South  Carolina.  It  was  his  privilege,  at  this 
meeting,  to  assist  at  the  ordination  of  Christopher  F. 
Bergman. 

In  1817,  Revs.  Philip  Henkel  and  Joseph  Bell, 
undertook  to  establish  a  Classical  and  Theological 
Seminary,  in  Green  County,  Tenn.  The  Tennessee 
Synod,  at  its  meeting  (1818),  in  view  of  the  great 
need  of  such  an  institution,  expressed  its  satisfac- 
tion, and  promised  its  fostering  care.  "  A  letter," 
say  the  minutes  of  that  year,  "  was  also  read,  from 
Rev.  John  Bachman,  pastor  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  in 
which  he  expressed  his  great  desire  that  a  Seminary 
for  the  education  of  Ministers  should  be  established, 
and  assured  us  that  his  congregation  would  gladly 
contribute  towards  the  support  of  the  enterprise." 
This  pledge  was  fulfilled.  The  minutes  of  the  Ten- 
nessee Synod  for  1819  record  "  $221.75 — a  contribu- 


86  John  Eachman. 

tion  to  the  Seminary  from  Rev.  J.  Bachman'a  con- 
gregation." 

United  action  of  the  church,  liowever,  was  lack- 
ing. From  this  cause,  the  institution  was  short- 
lived, and  in  1820,  we  hear  nothing  more  of  the 
Seminary  in  Tennessee. 

The  pastor  of  St.  John  s  had  sought  with  fraternal 
spirit  to  foster  an  institution  begun  in  another 
State ;  its  failure  kindled  in  his  heart  a  deeper 
longing  and  more  determined  purpose,  that,  at  no 
distant  day,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  a  Seminary 
should  be  founded  at  the  South  on  a  firmer  basis. 

November,  1827,  the  Synod  of  South  Carolina  met 
in  St.  John's  Church,  Charleston.  On  that  occasion> 
the  beloved  young  Schwartz,  gave  a  report  of  a 
missionary  tour  he  had  made  through  the  middle 
and  upper  districts  of  South  Carolina.  His  report 
made  a  profound  impression  upon  the  Synod,  and 
stirred  the  heart  of  his  father  in  Christ,  who  wrote* 

"  John  Schwartz  brought  to  us  a  far  more  correct 
account  of  the  state  and  wants  of  the  country,  than 
any  we  had  before  received  ;  and  he  has  thus,  enabled 
us  to  see  the  necessity  of  renewed  exertions  to  pro- 
cure ministers,  and  to  encourage  our  brethren  in  the 
interior  to  build  churches  and  to  organize  themselves 
into  congregations." 

In  1829,  Rev.  William  D.  Strobel,  (his  former  stu- 
dent), returned  from  New  York  to  Charleston,  and 
immediately  joined  Mr.  Schwartz  in  his  missionary 
work,  and  their  zealous  labors  were  greatly  blest. 

The  necessity  for  the  establishment  of  a  Theologi- 


The  Theological  Seminary.  87 

cal  Seminary  in  the  South  became  every  day  the 
more  apparent.  The  failure  of  the  Theological 
Seminary  attempted  in  Tennessee,  although  it  did 
not  daunt  his  brave  soul,  yet  warned  him  that 
united  counsel,  energy  and  effort,  were  absolutely 
necessary  for  success.  When  the  Synod  met  in 
Savannah,  Ga,,  Nov.  1829,  we  find  him  offering 
sundry  resolutions  looking  towards  the  establish- 
ment of  a  Theological  Seminary.  Initiatory  steps 
were  immediately  taken  to  carry  out  these  reso- 
lutions. 

In  1830,  as  president  of  the  Synod,  he  again 
warmly  pressed  this  subject  upon  the  attention  of 
his  brethren  in  the  ministry. 

"  I  come  now  to  recommend,  with  all  the  earnest- 
ness I  am  capable  of,  and  to  implore  Almighty  God 
for  his  blessing  on  our  humble 'exertions,  to  institute 
and  support  a  Theological  Seminary.  Hitherto  I  have 
had  many  anxieties  on  this  subject,  and  great  doubts 
of  our  success.  *  :  But  Providence  seems  to  have  re- 
moved the  greatest  obstacles  to  our  establishment  of 
such  an  institution.  Our  people  have  become 
united  and  zealous.  *  *  This  united  zeal  and 

perseverance  will,  we  confidently  hope,  enable  us  at 
the  next  meeting  of  our  Synod,  to  report  that  ten 
thousand  dollars  have  been  pledged — a  sum 
sufficient  to  enable  our  institutions  to  go  into  suc- 
cessful operation  ;  and,  although  it  would  have  but 
an  humble  origin  ;  yet,  fostered  by  our  liberality, 
our  watchfulness,  and  our  sincere  and  fervent 
prayers,  we  may,  under  the  blessing  of  heaven,  look 
forward  to  a  long  train  of  signal  blessings  upon  our 
Church." 

(The  amount  was  subscribed).     He  continues, 


88  John  Eachman. 

"  It  was  necessary  that  a  professor  to  the  in- 
stitution should  be  elected,  and  that  he  should 
enter  at  once  upon  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 
Every  eye  among  the  clergy  and  laity,  was  imme- 
diately directed  to  Mr.  Schwartz.  He  received  a 
unanimous  vote  as  professor  of  theology.  For  a 
time,  his  feelings  almost  prevented  the  power  of 
utterance.  At  length,  he  proceeded  to  thank  us  for 
our  favorable  opinion  ;  stated  his  sense  of  his  in- 
capacity to  discharge  the  duties  of  the  position  to 
which  he  had  been  appointed ;  pointed  out  its 
difficulties ;  but  signified  his  willingness  to  under- 
take it,  by  the  help  of  God,  and  entreated  our 
prayers  and  intercessions.  The  youth  of  the  indi- 
vidual, the  occasion,  the  importance  of  the  subject, 
and  his  eloquent  address,  melted  the  whole  audience 
into  tears. 

"  Unwilling  to  resign  the  charge  of  several  con- 
gregations in  Newberry,  until  the  year  had  expired, 
at  the  suggestion  of  the  Synod,  he  concluded  to 
secure  a  house  sufficiently  large  to  enable  him  to 
receive  theological  students  in  his  home,  until  the 
permanent  location  of  the  Theological  Seminary." 

February,  1831,  the  Theological  Seminary  opened 
with  flattering  prospects.  Professor  Schwartz  soon 
expressed  his  fears  that  if  many  more  came,  they 
could  not  be  accommodated. 

"  John  Bachman,"  says  one,  "  was  the  ruling 
spirit  of  the  Synod  ;  for  eight  consecutive  years,  he 
was  elected  president,  and  wisely  guided  the  coun- 
sels of  that  body." 

His  ardent  desires  and  bright  hopes  for  the 
establishment  of  the  Church  of  the  Reformation 
in  the  South  seemed  now  about  to  be  realized. 


John  0.  Schwartz.  89 

Rev.  S.  A.  Mealy  reported  to  his  spiritual  father 
that  the  church  in  Savannah  was  prospering. 

Tidings  came  from  the  congregation  at  Ebenezer, 
Ga.,  that  their  much  loved  pastor,  C.  F.  Bergman, 
was  doing  a  great  work  in  their  midst. 

Mt,  Calvary  Church,  Edgefield  District,  St.  Paul's 
Church,  Newberry,  and  the  Church  in  Columbia, 
had  all  recently  been  erected  and  dedicated. 

Dark  clouds  were,  however,  rising  to  cast  their 
shadows  over  this  bright  prospect. 

The  following  summer,  (1831),  Professor  Schwartz' 
letters  tell  of  failing  health.  Suddenly  he  was 
attacked  with  a  violent  fever,  which  at  first  appa- 
rently yielded  to  the  physicians  treatment,  but  soon 
returned,  with  increased  violence.  Human  skill 
brought  no  relief,  and  on  the  26th  of  August,  1831, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  the  life  and  labors  of  this 
young  servant  of  Christ  were  closed  on  earth.  His 
spiritual  father  wept  and  prayed  while  he  lingered 
on  the  confines  of  earth,  and  when  the  spirit  had 
ascended  to  God,  it  was  he  who  preached  the  funeral 
discourse  that  embalmed  the  memory  of  the  gifts, 
the  virtues,  and  the  attainments  of  the  beloved 
Schwartz. 

Standing  at  the  grave  of  Schwartz,  the  tidings 
reached  him  from  Ebenezer,  that  another  of  his 
spiritual  sons,  Rev.  Christopher  F.  Bergman  had 
been  smitten,  and  was  dead.  Revs.  Jacob  Wingard 
and  Daniel  Dreher,  all  young  ministers  of  great 
promise,  were,  in  rapid  succession,  called  from  the 
Church  militant  to  the  Church  triumphant.  In 


90  John  Bacliman. 

view  of  these  sad  afflictions,  as  President   of  Synod, 
he  thus  addressed  and  encouraged  his  brethren. 

"Let  our  past  afflictions  teach  us  humility,  an 
increase  of  zeal,  and  an  humble  trust  and  confidence 
in  the  protection  and  mercy  of  God  ;  and,  as  the  hour 
of  night  is  darkest  which  precedes  the  rising  morn, 
and,  as  the  day  is  often  calmest  which  succeeds  the 
violence  of  the  tempest,  so  these  visitations  of 
heaven,  like  the  calamities  that  befell  the  church  of 
old,  may  be  followed  by  a  long  train  of  mercies  and 
blessings  to  our  beloved  Zion.  But,  while  we  rely 
for  luture  successes  and  prosperity  on  the  blessing 
of  heaven,  let  us  do  all  that  lies  in  our  power  to 
promote  her  best  interests/' 

As  he  stood  in  the  breach  speaking  words  of  hope 
and  cheer,  the  question  was  asked  him:  Where  can 
we  find  another  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the 
death  of  John  Schwartz  ?  His  reply  was  character- 
istic. "While  we  are  endeavoring  to  find  a  suitable 
Theological  Professor,  let  us  hasten  the  completion 
of  the  dwelling-house  begun  for  his  use,  and  the  re- 
citation rooms  for  the  students."  He  labored,  zeal- 
ously and  sucessfully,  to  procure  funds  for  the  same, 
and,  in  a  short  time,  the  new  buildings  were  ready 
for  use. 

As  President  of  Synod,  he  wrote  to  his  friend,  Rev. 
Dr.  Ernest  Hazelius,  a  member  of  the  Synod  of  New 
York,  with  reference  to  the  Professorship.  Dr. 
Hazelius  was  at  that  time  one  of  the  Professors  at 
Gettysburg,  Pennsylvania ;  his  answer  was  favora- 
ble. With  delight,  the  former  wrote  "Dr.  Hazelius 


Dr.  Hazdms.  91 

has  lent  a  willing  ear  to  the  call  of  the  Board  of 
Directors,  and  will  be  with  us  in  November  next." 

Dr.  Hazelius  was  a  native  of  Silesia,  in  the  king- 
dom of  Prussia,  and  a  graduate  from  a  Moravian 
Theological  Seminary  in  that  kingdom.  In  1809, 
he  had  united  himself  with  the  Lutheran  Church, 
and  in  1815,  was  elected  Theological  Professor  at 
Hartwick  Seminary,  N.  Y.  After  fifteen  years  of 
efficient  service,  he  accepted  a  Professorship  at  Get- 
tysburg Seminary,  Penn.  In  November,  1833,  he 
arrived  in  Charleston,  on  his  way  to  Lexington,  S.C. 

He  lingered  a  few  days  in  the  home  of  the  Pastor 
of  St.  John's.  As  they  took  counsel  together  with 
regard  to  the  Master's  work  in  a  field  of  labor  new 
to  the  Professor  of  Theology,  the  hearts  of  the  two 
were  knit  together.  The  gentle,  learned,  spiritual, 
but  timid  and  retiring  Hazelius  turned  confid- 
ingly to  his  friend,  whose  self-reliant  nature  and 
buoyant  temperament,  seemed  just  the  complement 
necessary  for  success,  in  building  up  the  waste 
places  in  the  Lutheran  Church,  South.  They  cor- 
responded and  exchanged  visits  for  nearly  twenty 
years,  until  the  death  of  Dr.  Hazeiius,  which  oc- 
curred in  1852. 

It  is  pleasant  to  dwell  upon  a  friendship  so  sweet 
and  pure,  founded  upon  mutual  confidence  and  re- 
vspect. 

In  1834,  1835, 1836,  we  find  a  voluminous,  almost 
overwhelming,  correspondence  on  church  matters. 
Although  the  Synod  of  South  Carolina  and  adjacent 
States  had  greatly  prospered,  yet  serious  difficulties 


92  John  Bachman. 

within  its  bounds,  in  St.  Peter's  and  other  churches, 
gave  its  President  (John  Bachman)  deep  concern 
and  sore  anxiety.  It  was  not  until  1837  that  these 
were  disposed  of,  and  then  only  to  a  certain  extent. 
This,  of  course,  retarded  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  certain  congregations.  In  his  own  con- 
gregation, harmony  and  zeal  prevailed,  and  con- 
sequently, prosperity.  "  Its  praise  was  in  all  the 
churches."  Year  by  year  it  had  been  more  thor- 
oughly organized.  The  Alms-Fund,  founded  as 
early  as  1816,  had,  by  this  time,  greatly  increased  ; 
and  societies  of  active  men  and  women  had  been  in- 
augurated, in  1825  and  1828,  for  the  promotion  of 
religion,  and  the  education  of  young  men  for  the 
ministry. 

The  membership  of  St.  John's  was  composed  of 
men  of  wealth,  culture,  and  position,  as  well  as  the 
poor  and  humble.  They  seemed  to  have  been 
almost  of  one  mind, — "  The  head  did  not  say  to  the 
foot,  I  have  no  need  of  thee."  There  was  a  large 
colored  element — about  two  hundred  negroes.  Ap- 
parently, the  pastor  had  little  difficulty  in  harmo- 
nizing these  varied  elements  in  his  congregation. 

In  1835,  Pennsylvania  College  conferred  upon 
him,  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

The  certificate  of  the  same  was  accompanied  by  a 
letter  from  his  honored  friend,  S.  S.  Sch mucker,  D. 
D.,  which  runs  thus  : 

"  In  conformity  with  a  resolution  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Pennsylvania  College,  it  is  my  pleasing 
duty  to  inform  you  that  the  honorary  degree  of. 


President  of  the  General  Synod.  93 

Doctor  of  Divinity  was  conferred  upon  you  in  con- 
sideration of  your  literary  aud  scientific  attainments, 
and  your  zeal  and  activity  in  advancing  the  cause 
of  virtue  and  religion. 

"  The  duty  of  making  this  communication  has 
been  assigned  to  me,  as  I  had  the  pleasure  to  origi- 
nate the  resolution.  It  afforded  me  no  ordinary 
gratification  thus  to  evince  the  high  personal  regard 
and  friendship  which  I  entertain  for  you. 

"  Having  thus  discharged  my  official  duty,  let  me 
repeat  my  regret,  that  I  was  unable  to  reach  Gettys- 
burg in  time  to  meet  you  there.  I  was  anxious  to 
converse  largely  with  you  on  many  topics  of  interest 
to  our  Zion ;  and  even  supposed  that  our  com- 
munion on  these  subjects  might  be  of  future  use  to 
the  church.  S.  S.  S." 

The  South  Carolina  Synod,  in  1833,  had  united 
with  the  General  Synod,  North.  The  Pastor  of  St. 
John's  was  elected  President  of  this  body  in,  1835, 
and  re-elected  in  1837. 


CHAPTER   VII. 
1831  AND  1832. 

CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  AUDUBON — NATURAL  HISTORY — A  VISIT 
FROM  THE  NATURALIST,  AUDUBON — HIS  LETTERS  TO  AUDU- 
BON. 

"T^ROM  my  earliest  boyhood,"  said  the  subject  of 
1  this  memoir,  "  I  had  an  irrepressible  desire  for 
the  study  of  Natural  History.  At  the  age  of  fourteen, 
I  had  made  an  extensive  collection  of  plants,  birds 
and  quadrupeds  of  my  native  State.  I  was  intimate 
with  Alexander  Wilson,  the  pioneer  of  American 
Ornithology,  and  furnished  him  with  the  rare  birds 
existing  in  the  Northern  parts  of  New  York.  In 
Carolina,  I  was  enabled  to  compare  the  native  pro- 
ductions of  a  Southern  climate  with  those  of  the 
State  of  my  nativity/' 

Now  he  was  to  become  personally  acquainted 
with  Audubon,  the  Ornithologist.  They  had,  per- 
haps, corresponded,  but  did  not  meet  until  the  Fall 
of  1831. 

We  find  from  the  following  letter,  to  Mrs.  John  J. 
Audubon,  the  wife  of  the  naturalist,  that  Audubon, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Lehman  a  landscape  painter 
and  Mr.  Ward  a  taxidermist,  had  spent  a  month  un- 
der his  roof.  This  visit  was  a  beginning  of  a  firm 
friendship  between  two  scientists,  both  humble 
seekers  after  truth,  both  close  students  of  nature. 

Audubon's  grateful  and  constant  allusions,  in  his 


A  Happy  Month.  95 

published  works,  to  the  assistance  rendered  him  by 
41  my  friend  John  Bachman,"  and  Bachman's  noble 
defence  of  Audubon  when  unjustly  assailed  as  a 
naturalist,  form  a  beautiful  commentary  on  disin- 
terested friendship. 

To  MRS.  J.  J.  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  15th  November,  1831. 

Dear  Madam — I  comply  with  a  request  of  your 
kind  and  worthy  husband,  who  laid  an  injunction 
on  me  this  morning,  that  I  should  write  to  you.  He, 
together  with  Mr.  Lehman  and  Henry  Ward,  left 
this  place  this  morning,  in  the  schooner  "  Agnes," 
for  St.  Augustine.  They  were  all  in  good  health 
and  spirits,  and  enthusiastically  bent  on  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  object  of  their  expedition  to  the 
fullest  extent. 

The  last  has  been  one  of  the  happiest  months  of 
my  life.  I  was  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  nature 
from  my  boyhood,  and  fond  of  every  branch  of 
Natural  History.  Ornithology  is,  as  a  science,  pur- 
sued by  very  few  persons — and  by  no  one  in  this 
city.  How  gratifying  was  it,  then,  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  a  man,  who  knew  more  about  birds 
than  any  man  now  living — and  who,  at  the  same 
time,  was  communicative,  intelligent,  and  amiable, 
to  an  extent  seldom  found  associated  in  the  same 
individual.  He  has  convinced  me  that  I  was  but  a 
novice  in  the  study ;  and  besides  receiving  many 
lessons  from  him  in  Ornithology,  he  has  taught  me 
how  much  can  be  accomplished  by  a  single  individ- 
ual, who  will  unite  enthusiasm  with  industry.  For 
the  short  month  he  remained  with  my  family,  we 
were  inseparable.  We  were  engaged  in  talking 
about  Ornithology — in  collecting  birds — -in  seeing 


96  John  Bachman. 

them  prepared,  and  in  laying  plans  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  that  great  work  which  he  has  under- 
taken. Time  passed  rapidly  away,  and  it  seems  but 
as  yesterday  since  we  met,  and  now,  alas  !  he  is  al- 
ready separated  from  me — and  in  all  human  proba- 
bility we  shall  never  meet  again. 

I  am  well  aware  of  all  the  difficulties  your  hus 
band  will  have  to  encounter  in  a  wild  and,  in  some 
respects,  an  unexplored  country.  He  purposes  trav- 
ersing the  swamps  of  Florida — the  wilds  of  Mis- 
souri— the  snows  of  the  Rocky  Mountains — and,  if 
possible,  to  reach  the  Pacific.  He  will  have  to  en- 
counter not  only  the  climate,  but  the  animals — the 
savages — the  parched  deserts  of  the  Southwest — and 
the  snows  of  the  North.  But  I  depend  much  on  his 
hardy  constitution,  on  his  knowledge  of  the  coun- 
tries through  which  he  has  to  pass,  and  on  his  admi- 
rable tact  in  avoiding  and  extricating  himself  from 
difficulties.  But,  above  all,  I  have  a  firm  reliance 
on  the  goodness  of  Providence  that  he  will  spare 
his  useful  life,  and  enable  him  to  answer  the  high 
expectations  of  his  friends  and  his  country. 

Mr.  Audubon  has  promised  frequently  to  write  to 
me,  and  I  shall  feel  as  much  interested  in  all  of  his 
movements,  as  if  he  were  a  brother,  or  the  dearest 
friend  I  have  on  earth. 

I  need  not  inform  you  that  Mr.  Audubon  was  a 
general  favorite  in  our  city.  His  gentlemanly  de- 
portment, his  travels  and  experience,  his  informa- 
tion and  general  talents,  caused  him  to  be  sought 
after  by  all.  But  your  husband  knew  that  the  great 
objects  before  him  required  his  unremitted  atten- 
tion, and  he  was  obliged  to  deny  himself  to  his 
friends,  on  many  occasions,  and  devoted  to  them 
only  his  evenings. 

There  seems  quite  a  blank,  in  my  house,  since  he 
has  gone,  for  we  looked  on  him  as  one  of  our  family. 


Audubon.  07 

He  taught  my  sister,  Maria,  to  draw  birds;  and 
she  has  now  such  a  passion  for  it,  that,  whilst  I 
am  writing,  she  is  drawing  a  Bittern,  put  up  for  her 
at  daylight  by  Mr.  Audubon. 

I  hope  that  Charleston  may  be  able  to  give  a  few 
subscribers  to  your  husband's  work,  and  I  wish  that 
she  was  richer,  and  had  taste,  and  a  knowledge  of 
Natural  History,  to  encourage  her  to  do  more. 

I  shall  always  be  glad  to  hear  from  one  so  inti- 
mately associated  with  my  friend,  and,  with  the  best 
wishes  for  his  and  your  prosperity  and  happiness, 
I  beg  leave  to  subscribe  myself, 

Yours,  in  great  sincerity, 

JOHN  BACHMAN. 

To  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  Dec.  2d,  1831. 

This  moment  your  kind  and  interesting  letter  has 
arrived.  The  sails  are  just  hoisted  and  in  a  few 
moments  the  vessel  is  expected  to  be  under  way.  I 
have  run  into  Mr.  K.'s  counting  house,  just  to  say 
that  we  are  all  well. 

I  wish  that  you  could  have  staid  with  us  a  month 
longer ;  you  were  scarcely  gone,  before  the  birds 
came  from  the  North,  and  invitations  to  you  from 
the  planters  on  all  sides  for  the  country.  I  am  sure 
that  we  would  have  kept  you,  Lehman  and  Mr. 
AVard  all  busy.  And  with  the  exception  of  fish,  we 
would  have  fed  you  as  well  here,  as  at  St.  Augustine. 
All  my  family  talk  of  you  every  day — you  are  still 
the  burden  of  their  song.  ***** 

I  hope  that  you  will  find  a  new  "Stone  Curlew," 
and  a  Corvus  (crow).  Indeed,  I  seriously  calculate  on 
your  making  discoveries  Many  inquiries  are  made 
about  you  every  day.  Dr.  Porcher  writes,  "I  see  little 
of  Audubon,  he  lives  in  the  woods."  I  am  in  luck, 


98  John  Bachman. 

friend,  since  I  wrote  you,  another  pair  of  wild  tur- 
keys have  been  sent  me.  *  *  Do  examine  into 
the  Migration  of  Birds — do  any  birds  remain  in  your 
part  of  Florida,  that  are  not  found  here?  I  rather 
fear,  that  with  the  exception  of  '"'Water  Birds,"  you 
you  will  do  little  before  spring. 

I  have  gone  carefully  over  my  Ornithology,  and 
have  perfected  myself  in  the  Fringillas,  and,  I  think 
that  you  will  not  catch  me  napping  on  that  point — . 
Would  that  I  knew  the  Sylvias  as  well.  However, 
the  Spring  will  do  wonders,  and  we  will  astonish 
you  with  new  specimens.  You  see  how  I  have 
rambled  on  *  *  *  *  What  about  that  rattle- 
snake ?  In  Daughty's  little  work,  a  scribbler  saysr 
"I  am  afraid  of  Audubon  since  the  rattlesnake  story." 
I  long  to  read  a  review  of  your  book  in  the  "Phila- 
delphia Quarterly." 

They  will  not  wait  a  moment  longer  for  me,  so 
dear  Audubon,  farewell. 

Your  friend,  J.  B. 

The  scribbler  proved  to  be  Ord,  the  naturalist, 
quoting  from  Waterton,  of  England. 

Bachman,  in  his  "  Defence  of  Audubon,"  (Bucks 
County  Intelligencer,  1835,)  writes, 

"Audubon  has  been  rudely  assailed  about  a  "snake 
story,"  but  Waterton  has  given  us  several  stories  that 
fairly  fill  us  with  wonder  and  dismay.  Instead  of  a 
contemptible  rattlesnake,  as  thick  as  a  man's  arm,  he 
tells  us  of  the  great  "Boa"  which  he  encountered  in  his 
den.  Dashing  forward  headlong  upon  the  Boa,  he 
pierced  him  with  his  lance,  and  tying  up  his  mouth 
carried  him  as  a  trophy  to  the  British  Museum. 
The  snake  was  so  large  that  it  took  three  men  to 
carry  it,  and  so  heavy  that  they  had  to  rest  ten 
times, 


tfnake  Stories.  99 

"  He  gives  another  snake  story— a  snake  ten  feet 
long.  Waterton  was  alone.  He  seized  him  by  the 
tail,  the  snake  turned  round  and  came  after  him 
with  open  mouth,  seeming  to  say,  '  What  business 
have  you  to  meddle  with  my  tail.'  In  this  emer- 
gency, he  put  his  fist  in  his  hat,  and  rammed  it 
down  the  snake's  throat.  Suffering  the  snake  to 
wind  itself  around  his  body,  he  walked  home  in 
triumph.  *  I  am  somewhat  indifferent 

with  regard  to  Mr.  Waterton  and  his  marvelous 
book  ;  but  it  is  well  for  the  public  to  know  who  this 
-champion  of  truth  is,  that  comes  to  accuse  the 
American  Ornithologist  of  exaggeration." 

TO  AUDUBON  AT  St.  Augustine,  Florida. 

CHARLESTON,  Dec.  23rd,  1831. 

My  dear  Audubon  :  I  returned  from  the  country 
last  evening,  and  concluded  to  devote  this  day  to 
rest  and  amusement,  and  leave  letter-writing  and 
serious  studies  to  another  time,  but  my  good  wife, 
and  sister  Maria,  beg  me  to  answer  you  immediately, 
and  as  this  accords  with  my  inclination,  I  have  con- 
cluded to  devote  an  hour  or  two  in  writing  to  you — 
a  brother  ornithologist.  Indeed,  when  I  heard, 
whilst  in  Columbia,  that  a  letter  from  you  had 
arrived,  I  felt  desirous  of  hastening  my  return. 

My  tour  of  duty,  (Sy nodical),  this  year,  is  over. 
Everything  has  gone  on  well  with  me — except  that 
we  lost  a  fine  horse  on  the  last  journey ;  and  the 
cold  killed  my  wild  turkeys.  Indeed,  it  has  been 
almost  insupportably  cold.  I  had  not  time  to  carry 
a  gun,  and  on  the  whole,  would  not  have  had  much 
use  for  it,  as  the  birds  were  scarce,  and  it  would 
have  interfered  with  my  professional  duties.  Hares 
were  rather  abundant.  I  saw  a  "  Red  Tailed,"  and  a 


100  John  Bachman. 

"  Sparrow  Hawk,"  for  some  time,  seated  on  the  same 
oak — presently  the  latter  made  a  dash  among  some 
snow  birds,  and  as  he  was  flying  away  with  one.  no 
doubt  delighted  with  the  anticipated  feast,  the  Red 
Tailed  took  after  him,  and  made  him  drop  the 
dainty  bit,  and  caught  it  before  it  fell  to  the  ground. 
I  found  the  Solitary  and  Brown  Thrushes,  about  five 
of  the  Wood  Pecker  family,  the  Robin,  the  Ruby- 
crowned  wren,  and  some  of  the  duck  family  abun- 
dant; but  there  was  nothing  new — nothing  even 
rare,  except  a  Duck,  nearly  white,  which  puz- 
zled me ;  but  as  the  guns  in  the  house  where 
I  was  staying  happened  to  be  in  an  awful 
state,  I  was  admonished  not  to  run  the  risk  of  my 
life  in  discharging  them.  This  duck  may  be  de- 
scribed ;  but  I  do  not  recollect  anything  that  looks 
like  it  in  Wilson. 

I  arrived  in  Columbia,  S.  C.,  almost  too  late,  for 
the  "'House  "  had  just  resolved  that  the  State  was 
too  poor  to  subscribe  for  4udubon's  work.  I  felt 
that  it  would  be  a  disgrace  to  the  State;  and,  for 
the  first  time  in  my  life,  I  turned  to  electioneering. 
And  now,  behold  me  among  the  back  countrymen, 
spinning  long  yarns.  The  thing,  however,  took, 
and  your  book  is  subscribed  for.  In  addition  to 
this,  a  party  from  the  interior,  has  given  his  name, 
and  Professor  Gibbes  has  hopes  that  our  plan  of 
twelve  subscribers  for  a  copy,  will  secure  another  set 
for  Columbia.  I  can,  at  least,  say  our  prospects  are 
brightening ;  but  I  dare  not  be  too  sanguine,  as  I 
do  not  want  to  promise  more  than  I  can  perform. 
I  have  written  to  G.,  of  Savannah,  to  interest  him 
in  procuring  subscribers,  and  when  your  book 
arrives  will  send  a  copy  to  him. 

I  read  what  was  said  in  your  favor  with  regard  to 
the  "  Rattlesnake  Story,"  and  thus  far,  they  have 
not  found  a  wrong  twist  in  your  yarn  ;  but  be  care- 


Audubon's  "  Birds."  101 

ful   in   describing  the  wonders   of  the   South  and 
AVest.  *  *  *  *  *  * 

My  wife  begs  me  to  thank  you  for  your  kind  letter 
which  arrived  to-day,  and  she  has  just  given  me  a 
little  paper  of  messages,  which  I  am  to  copy  and 
send  to  you. 

Look  here,  my  friend,  before  I  forget  it,  why  are  you 
always  talking  of  u  a  load  of  gratitude" — now  sup- 
pose we  say  no  more  about  this.  Your  visit  to  me 
gave  me  new  life,  induced  me  to  go  carefully  over 
my  favorite  study,  and  made  me  and  my  family 
happy.  We  have,  therefore,  been  mutually  obliged 
and  gratified.  My  wife,  sister  Maria,  and  the  child- 
ren, all  beg  to  be  remembered.  Tell  Henry  Ward, 
that  I  will  never  make  an  attempt  at  painting,  but 
that  I  am  beginning  to  stuff  birds,  and  my  man, 
Thomas,  during  my  absence,  has  done  the  same. 
My  sister  Maria,  paints  birds  better  every  day ;  she 
fails  only  in  setting  them  up.  Your  book,*  however, 
will  soon  be  here,  and  she  will  study  the  attitudes 
of  your  birds.  She  is  all  enthusiasm,  and  I  need 
not  say  to  you  that  she  is  one  of  your  warmest 
admirers,  and,  were  she  not  so  closely  allied  to  my 
family,  I  would  say,  that  the  admiration  of  such  a 
person  is  a  very  high  encomium. 
Am  I  not  a  bore  to  send  you  such  a  long  letter  to  a 


*The  book  alluded  to  is  the  First  Volume  of  u  Audabon's 
Birds  of  America."  This  valuable  gift,  bound  in  fine 
Russian  leather,  is  still  in  the  possession  of  the  Bachmaii 
family.  It  was  the  first  impression  struck  from  the  copper- 
plates, and  is  peculiarly  clear-cut.  It  was  Audubon's  travel- 
ling companion  through  England  and  France,  when  George 
IV,  and  Charles  X,  placed  their  names  at  the  head  of  his 
subscription  list,  on  which  occasion,  Cuvier,  pronounced 
Audubon's  drawings,  "  the  most  splendid  monument 
which  art  had  yet  erected  in  honor  of  ornithology."  It 
was  no  wonder  that  the  admiration  of  appreciative  friends 
kindled  into  enthusiasm. 

5 


102  John  Bachman. 

tropical  climate?     I  have  only   room  to  subscribe 
myself,  Your  friend,  J.  B. 

CHARLESTON,  Oct.  20th,  1832. 
DEAR  AUDUBON  :  This  moment  yours  of  the  20th 
inst,  has  come  to  hand,  and  I  hasten  to  answer 
it.  The  book  for  the  South  Carolina  College, 
is  on  board  of  the  vessel  at  quarantine,  and 
shall  be  attended  to.  My  sister  Maria,  has  made 
several  drawings,  which  she  thinks  of  sending  you  ; 
but  I  am  anxious  to  retain  them  for  awhile,  in  hopes 
that  you  may  be  tempted  to  come  for  them  yourself. 
Ever  since  you  left  us,  I  have  been  studying  up  my 
Ornithology,  in  order  to  be  useful  to  you,  and,  if  1  am 
spared,  I  hope  to  be  so.  A  month  in  your  society 
would  afford  me  a  greater  treat  than  the  highest 
prize  in  a  lottery.  I  cannot,  I  find,  feel  myself  at 
home  with  new  birds  without  having  the  skins  to 
refer  to.  My  cabinet  is  enlarging  every  day.  Henry 
Ward  now  prepares  the  skins — a  pair  of  each.  *  *  *  I 
am  afraid  that  our  Northern  Sylvias  do  not  pass  near 
our  sea-coast ;  I  rather  think  that  they  follow  the 
mountains  ;  the  "  Henslow's  Bunting  "  is  not  rare 
here ;  I  killed  three  yesterday,  and  saw,  at  least,  a 
half  dozen.  I  shall,  next  week,  write  all  I  know 
about  the  Fringilla  I  found  last  spring.  If  you 
have  received  my  last  letter,  you  will  perceive 
that  another  new  Fringilla  has  been  discovered. 
I  shot  it  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  have  a  skin  for  you. 
Maria  made  a  correct  drawing  of  it.  I  thought 
at  first  that  it  might  be  the  long  sought  after  "  Frin- 
gilla Canencuta"  of  Latham,  which  Nuttall  noticed, 
and  which  Wilson  says  does  not  exist ;  but  which  I 
hope  to  find.  *  *  *  Your  Cranes  are  elegant,  but  I  wish 
them  in  the  Zoological  Garden,  as  they  commenced 
chasing  the  children,  and  I  have  found  it  necessary 
to  have  them  confined.  *  *  *  What  ducks,  that  are  not 


Friendly  Counsel.  103 

likely  to  be  obtained  for  you  in  Boston,  would  you 
like  Maria  to  draw  for  you  ?  Your  second  volume 
promises  to  be  an  improvement  upon  the  first.  The 
Brown  Thrushes  are  superior  to  any  thing  I  ever 
saw  in  the  shape  of  birds — but  you  do  not  stand  in 
need  of  my  praise  ! 

Write  and  tell  me  whether  you  ever  expect  to 
come  to  Charleston  again — that  is,  are  you  coming 
next  spring  ?  if  not,  I  fear  that  I  shall  never  see  you 
again. 

It  is"  becoming  quite  dark,  and  I  suspect  that  you 
will  be  glad  to  find  me  coming  to  a  close. 

Your  friend,  J.  B. 

To  AUDUBON,  at  Boston. 

CHARLESTON,  Oct.  26th,  1832. 
My  dear  friend  :  Yours  of  the  15th  inst.  arrived 
yesterday,  and  I  cannot  resist  the  temptation  of  an- 
swering you  immediately.  In  truth,  I  like  to  hear 
from  you.  I  wish  to  know  what  you  are  doing — 
what  progress  your  work  is  making;  and,  whilst  I 
feel  deeply  interested  for  your  fame,  and  the  pros- 
perity of  a  work,  which  1  hope,  will  place  the  sci- 
ence of  Ornithology  .in  the  United  States  on  such 
a  footing,  that  there  will  be  but  little  left  for  future 
ornithologists  to  do,  I  also  feel  a  particular  inter- 
est in  your  personal  welfare,  and  that  of  all  that  be- 
longs to  you,  I  arn,  therefore,  under  the  impression, 
that  to  hear  from  you,  is  to  write  to  you— and  "nolens 
volens,"  you  will  have  to  answer.  Besides,  I  want  to 
see  you  once  more  to  ascertain  whether  you  have 
stuck  to  your  good  resolutions,  viz :  never  to  swear, 
(which  is  a  vulgar  practice  for  one  who  is  conver- 
sant with  the  most  beautiful  of  God's  works,  the 
feathered  race,)  and  never  to  work  on  Sundays. 
However,  you  are  now  under  the  tutorage  of  your 


J04  John  Bachinan. 

good  wife,  and,  I  doubt  not,  you  are  as.  obedient  to 
her  in  these  things,  as  you  ought  to  be.  *  * 

Your  request,  that  I  should  send  the  bird-skins,  is 
a  natural  one,  but  it  cannot  be  granted  all  in  a 
huriy.  I  have  several  of  the  skins  of  the  new  Frin- 
gilla  at  your  service,  the  rest  are  carefully  set  up  in 
the  Museum,  and  Ravenel,  a  Brother  Curator,  is 
out  of  town.  Have  patience,  for  in  good  time  you 
shall  see  all.  But  the  stuffed  birds  must  be  returned 
to  us,  as  I  have  no  right  to  detain  them  from  the 
Museum.  *  You  say  new  birds  are 

scarce.  So  they  are,  and  yet,  in  my  opinion,  we  will 
occasionally  find  them,  for  half  a  century  to  come. 
The  birds  from  the  West  Indies,  Mexico,  South 
America,  and  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains,  will 
stray  among  us  now  and  then.  Besides,  they  have 
their  localities.  Who  sees  the  Grus  Americana  in 
the  Middle  States?  Many  of  your  and  Wilson's 
birds  have  never  been  seen  but  once.  Besides, 
birds  that  were  once  rare,  are  now  abundant  in  some 
places.  Witness  the  Hirundo  fidva.  Your  new 
Muscicapa  bird  was  here  in  our  college  yard  this 
summer,  and  I  doubt  not  but  her  whole  progeny  will 
€ome  to  hear  the  boys  spout  Latin  next  summer. 

I  will  tell  you  the  plan  I  have  adopted :  I  try 
to  interest  every  fellow  that  has  a  little  brains  to 
look  out  for  new  birds.  I  take  him  to  the  Museum- 
show  him  our  birds  and  my  skins,  and  then  beg  him 
to  procure  the  skin  of  every  rare  bird,  and  if  not,  at 
least  to  send  me  his  wings  and  tail,  head  and  feet. 
Be  patient,  friend,  for  two  years  more,  and  you  shall 
hear  what  the  South  and  West  can  produce.  Day, 
Cost,  Dr.  Strobel,and  half  a  dozen  others,  are  work- 
ing for  you  and  me. 

And  now,  let  your  good  lady  mix  you  a  half  tum- 
bler of  claret,  with  a  little  sugar,  and  listen  to  what 
I  have  to  tell  you.  I  have  another  bird  for  you  ;  aye, 


A  new  Humming- Bird.  105 

my  friend,  and  one  that  will  interest  all  lovers  of 
Ornithology.  Dr.  Strobel  brought  me  from  Key 
West  a  box  of  birds — I  tumbled  and  tumbled  over 
the  ragged  specimens — nothing  new,  till  I  came  to 
ji  little  fellow,  and  what  should  he  be,  but  a  Trochi- 
IH.N,  (Humming-Bird,)  not  yet  figured.  It  is  double 
the  size  of  our  Calubris,  with  a  long  bill,  &c.,  but  it 
is  in  sad  order,  and  I  am  afraid  it  cannot  be  drawn. 
However,  he  was  knocked  from  a  bush  by  Dr.  Stro- 
bel himself,  at  Key  West — so  we  have  now,  two  Hum- 
ming Birds. 

I  have  also  a  little  yarn  for  you  about  a  new 
pigeon  ;  but  it  may  be  all  a  mistake ;  besides,  I  must 
always  keep  something  in  reserve. 

Your  friend,  .1.  B. 

To  AUDUBON,  in  Boston. 

CHARLESTON,  November  llth,  1832. 

I  do  feel  greatly  obliged  to  you  for  your  very 
kind  and  satisfactory  letter,  it  is  worth  its  weight  in 
gold  to  me.  It  gives  me  information  which  I  can- 
not procure  with  labor  or  money  in  this  part  of  the 
country. 

In  almost  every  case,  I  agree  with  you.  On  the 
migration  of  birds,  my  own  experience  tells  me,  that 
you  are  right,  at  least,  in  part — but  the  matter  is 
still  open  for  observation  and  inquiry.  The  new 
Humming  Bird,  I  believe,  to  be  the  "  Trochilus 
Mango"  or  Mangrove  humming  bird,  described,  but 
not  figured,  in  Shaws  Zoology.  I  hope  that  we 
may  manage  to  have  this  bird  figured — when  I  say 
"we" — I  mean  "you"  and  my  "amanuensis," 
Maria.  I  have  nothing  new  to  tell  you  in  the  shape 
of  birds — the  history  of  the  new  birds,  as  far  as  I 
know  them,  will  be  faithfully  detailed,  as  soon  as  F 
return  from  my  annual  (Church)  tour,  which  I  shall 


106  John  Bachman. 

undertake  in  a  couple  of  days ;  and  then,  my  friend, 
I  will  send  you  all  the  birds  that  I  have  a  right  to; 
the  Humming  Bird  and  the  Sparrow,  and  the  draw- 
ings and  skins  of  the  rest.  Maria  has  figured  for 
you  the  "  White  Hibiscus,"  and,  also,  a  red  one,  both 
natives,  and  beautiful ;  a  Euonymus  in  seed,  in 
which  our  Sylvia  is  placed ;  the  white  Nondescript 
Rose ;  the  Gordonica,  a  Begonia,  &c.  She  is  pre- 
pared to  send  them  to  you — shall  she  ship  them  at 
once  to  Boston  ? 

My  good  wife,  and  sister  Maria,  are  sitting  beside 
me — the  latter  is  reading  your  letter,  and  the  former 
looking  on.  All  are  well — little  folks  and  all — and 
all  beg  me  to  remember  them  to  you  and  yours. 

Capt.  Day  sails  from  Savannah  in  a  new  Cutter ; 
Cost  is  with  him,  and  I  have  now  a  letter,  stating 
their  desire  that  you  should  join  them.  They  are 
under  the  Collector  of  Savannah;  but  you  will  have 
no  difficulty  in  getting  every  accommodation.  Dr. 
Strobel  sailed  yesterday  for  New  York,  where  he  will 
will  remain  three  weeks,  and  afterwards  settle  on 
the  Sinebal  Island,  Florida.  He  has  been  indus- 
trious, bringing  me  out  a  box  of  birds,  skinned  by 
himself.  Do  write  to  him  in  New  York ;  he  thinks 
much  of  you,  and  will  be  of  service  to  us.  Write, 
and  I  shall  thank  you. 

Pluto,  (the  dog)  is  well,  ears  and  all,  and  sends 
his  compliments  to  you.  The  cranes  are  skinned ; 
one  is  set  up  in  the  Museum,  and  one  I  have.  They 
became  dreadfully  dangerous,  and  long  confine- 
ment would  have  ruined  their  plumage.  In  the 
nick  of  time,  when  in  fine  plumage,  a  few  drops  of 
prussic  acid  did  the  job.  I  have  a  complete  history 
of  these  gentry — they  are  great  at  catching  butter- 
flies and  sphinxes. 

You  give  me  great  pleasure  by  stating  what  birds 
you  are  drawing.  You  say  that  you  have  answered 


The  Carolina  Hare.  107 

all  my  inquiries,  and  beg  me  to  make  others.  You 
have  indeed  done  wonders,  and  if  you  hereafter,  do 
but  half  as  well,  I  cannot  complain  **_*.** 
Your  resolution  to  publish  the  3rd.  Vol.  of  Water 
Birds,  you  will  recollect  was  partly  entered  into  here, 
and  from  that  moment,  my  mind  was  at  ease.  It 
will  give  you  four  or  five  years  in  advance,  and  will 
enable  you,  in  a  5th  Vol.,  to  add  all  recent  discov- 
eries of  Land  and  Water  Birds.  Should  you,  yet  bo 
able  to  go  to  Florida  and  the  Pacific,  I  apprehend 
that  you  will  extend  our  American  Ornithology  to 
460  or  470  species,  perhaps  more.  Your  sons  being 
able  to  skin  birds  and  paint  them,  is  a  great  desid- 
eratum— it  should  be  mentioned  in  your  preface  to 
your  next  volume.  The  talents  of  the  family  com- 
bined, (for  I  know  that  Mrs.  Audubon  can  write,) 
will  now  place  the  work  beyond  the  fear  of  falling 
through,  even  in  case  of  your  death — and  the  pub- 
lic ought  to  know  it.  But  you  must  push  for  sub- 
scribers. If  your  son  Victor  can  do  nothing  in 
Europe,  you  must  go  there  yourself,  and  sooner  than 
let  the  work  suffer,  you  must  go  on  a  pilgrimage 
throughout  all  the  great  cities  of  our  Union.  Should 
God  spare  your  life,  I  want  to  hear  of  you  enjoying, 
in  your  old  age,  "  Otium  cum  dignitate"  and  to  see 
your  children  reaping  some  of  your  recompense. 
Do  you  not  begin  to  get  tired  of  my  long  letters  ?  To- 
morrow evening  I  am  to  read  before  the  Philos- 
ophic Society,  a  description  of  the  new  "  Carolina 
Hare."  G.,  has  written  a  review  of  Nuttall — it  is 
severe  and  unwise,  and  I  shall  try  to  prevail  on  him 
to  suppress  it.  I  do  not  like  to  see  a  good  fellow 
put  down. 

The  cholera  is  on  Coles  Island — you  know  where 
that  is — do  you  remember  where  we  waded  over  the 
sand  hills  on  Folly  Island?  There,  a  vessel  has 
stranded,  with  Irish  emigrants  from  New  York,  with 


108  John  Bachman. 

cholera.  Fifty  are  dead  and  lying  beneath  the 
sands.  I  hope  that  it  will  come  no  nearer  to 
Charleston. 

My  compliments  to  your  son  John,  with  my 
thanks  for  his  kindness.*  Tell  him  I  can  only  repay 
when  he  calls  on  me,  professionally,  to  tie  the  knot 
for  him — and  all  shall  be  done  for  bird  skins. 

And  now,  my  friend,  farewell !  soon  I  hope  to  hear 
from  you  again — and  again  to  thank  you  that  old 
friends  are  not  forgotten. 

Your  friend,          J.  B. 

To  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  Dec.  20th,  1832. 
There  has  not  a  day  passed  over  my  head,  for  the 
last  two  weeks,  in  which  I  have  not  made  the  reso- 
lution, "  To-day  I  will  write  to  Audubon,"  but  I  was 
dull  and  gloomy  (which  you  will  say  is  uncommon 
for  me).  1  had  nothing  to  write,  but  bad  news,  and 
I  hoped,  every  day,  to  see  our  political  atmosphere 
a  little  brighter.  Do  not  ask  me  about  birds — I 
scarcely  know  a  Buzzard  from  a  King  Bird.  I  will 
wait  until  I  have  had  a  cup  of  tea,  and  then  I  shall, 
perhaps,  be  in  a  better  humor  for  writing.  Now  is 
your  time  to  show  your  love  and  charity  towards 
me,  by  writing  me  often,  although  I  may  not  answer 
immediately.  (October  21st.)  This  is  not  an  answer 
to  your  two  very  kind  letters ;  I  hope  to  make  some 
returns  for  them,  ere  long.  The  first  made  me  laugh 
for  nearly  a  week,  and  the  other,  caused  me  to  say, 
"  I  thank  you.'."  I  possess  none  of  the  bird-skins 
you  speak  of  sending  me ;  and  the  Grouse  you  killed 
in  Maine,  I  have  never  seen.  I  am  quite  pleased  to 
hear  that  you  have  a  new  owl.  By  the  very  first 

*At  this  date  he   had  not  met  Victor  G.,  or  John  W., 
the  two  sons  of  Audubon. 


Birds  or  Politics.  109 

opportunity,  I  shall  send  you  the  new  birds  and 
drawings.  Nuttall  will  not  be  attacked  from  the 
South,  I  hope.  It  seems  to  me  that  he  might  greatly 
improve  his  second  volume  by  holding  frequent 
conversations  with  you,  and  he  might  add,  in  an 
appendix,  such  land  birds  as  you  have  described, 
and  he  has  omitted.  I  have  found  a  few  new  species 
of  plants  that  I  should  like  to  submit  to  him.  Oh, 
what  an  enjoyment  it  would  be  for  me  to  escape, 
just  for  one  week,  from  the  hydra-headed,  "  Nullifi- 
cation/' and  sit  by  your  side  and  talk  of  birds  ! 

Your  friend,  J.  B. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

1833. 
ADDRESS  ON  HORTICULTURE  —  ESSAY  ox  THE  MIGRATION  OF  BIRDS. 


Pastor  of  St.  John's  regarded  all  God's 
1  creatures  as  humble  messengers  and  guides 
to  lead  men  to  the  feet  of  the  Divine  Teacher.  As 
he  contemplated  with  the  spiritual  eye  the  marvel- 
lous works  of  creation,  penetrated  with  love  and 
gratitude  to  the  Creator  he  sought  to  lead  others  to 
study  the  wonderful  '*  Book  of  Nature." 

He  was  deeply  interested,  and  mainly  instru- 
mental, in  the  formation  of  a  Horticultural  Society 
in  Charleston.  In  1833,  he  was  requested  to 
follow  up  his  teachings  with  an  address  to  the 
Society. 

We  have  selected  extracts  from  the  same  ;  yet 
these  lack,  of  course,  the  continuity  of  the  whole. 
Besides,  the  facts  and  truths,  perhaps  familiar  to 
us,  came  to  our  fathers  and  mothers  fresh  and  new. 
The  words,  too,  fell  from  the  lips  of  one  whose 
patient,  modest  and  unselfish  labors,  had  won  their 
admiration  and  respect,  To  this  must  be  added  the 
electrical  presence,  voice  and  smile  of  John  Bach- 
man. 


Horticulture.  Ill 


Retracts  from  an  Address  delivered  before  the  Horticultural  Society 
of  Charleston,  on  the  occasion  of  its  Second  Anniversary,  in  1833. 

Horticulture  has  two  objects  in  view : 

First. — The  introduction  and  cultivation  of  such 
vegetables  and  fruits,  as  may  serve  for  the  food  or 
medicine  of  man. 

Secondly. — The  cultivation  of  trees,  shrubs  and 
flowers,  which,  by  their  shade,  fragrance  or  beauty, 
may  serve  to  refine  and  purify  his  mind,  add  to  his 
pleasure,  and  awaken  in  his  bosom  sentiments  of 
admiration  to  that  Being,  who,  in  mercy,  has 
promised,  that  while  the  earth  remaineth,  seedtime 
and  harvest,  summer  and  winter,  shall  not  cease. 

Come,  let  us  unitedly  engage  in  studies  and  em- 
ployments which  will  not  be  confined  to  the  sweets 
of  Flora,  or  the  apples  of  Pomona ;  our  views  will 
embrace  a  wider  field — a  more  extended  sphere  of 
public  utility.  Whilst  we  are  introducing  new 
subjects  of  horticultural  industry  into  our  State,  we 
may  be  able  also  to  diffuse  botanical  and  scientific 
knowledge,  contribute  something  to  ameliorate  the 
condition  of  the  poor,  add  to  the  virtues  of  our 
people,  and  lead  the  contemplation  of  man  from 
nature  up  to  nature's  God. 

The  advantages  of  science  in  horticultural  pur- 
suits, do  not  appear  to  be  sufficiently  estimated  in 
our  midst.  I  would  endeavor  to  show  you  in  what 
way  ornithology,  chemistry,  entomology,  and  physi- 
ological botany,  are  closely  allied  to,  and  insepa- 
rably connected  with,  the  science  of  horticulture. 
******* 

Without  a  suitable  knowledge  of  Ornithology,  we 
are  unable  to  know  which  birds  are  injurious,  and 
which  are  a  positive  benefit  to  the  farmer;  which 
ought  to  be  banished  from  our  fields,  orchards  and 


112  John  Bachman. 

gardens ;  and  which  ought  to  be  encouraged  there 
by  all  the  allurements  in  our  power. 

The  Purple  Grackle,  in  New  England,  was  de- 
stroyed in  consequence  of  the  Governor's  offering 
three-pence  per  head  ;  and  the  result  was,  that  the 
insects  multiplied  so  rapidly,  that  the  herbage  was 
destroyed,  and  the  inhabitants  were  obliged  to 
obtain  hay  from  Pennsylvania  and  England.  The 
poor  Wood-pecker  is  shot  by  every  idle  boy,  because 
he  is  said  to  extract  the  juices  of  apple  trees  ;  when, 
in  most  cases,  he  is  attracted  there  by  the  worm 
which  is  perforating  the  tree ;  and  thus  the  bird  on 
which  the  sentence  of  death  is  pronounced  as  an 
enemy,  has  come  to  save  the  tree  by  feeding  on  its 
destroyer.  Let  then  a  sufficiency  of  Ornithology  be 
known  by  the  cultivators  of  the  soil,  to  distinguish, 
in  the  feathered  race,  an  enemy  from  a  friend.  If 
the  hawk,  the  crow  and  the  starling,  are  deserving 
of  death  for  their  depredations,  let  us  spare  the 
beautiful  warblers — the  thrushes,  and  the  wrens, 
that  come  to  our  gardens  to  claim  the  worm,  and  to 
reward  us  with  a  song. 

The  science  of  Chemistry  advances  no  inconsidera- 
ble claim  to  the  attention  of  the  horticulturist. 
In  order  to  the  successful  rearing  of  plants,  we  must 
place  them  in  soil  adapted  to  their  natures.  The 
okra,  tomato,  watermelon,  etc.,  while  they  grow 
well  in  some  soils,  in  others  struggle  through  a 
sickly  existence,  and  die  before  they  bring  their 
fruits  to  maturity.  As  an  evidence  of  what  can  be 
effected  by  a  combination  of  chemical  and  practical 
knowledge  in  the  cultivation  of  the  earth,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  mention  the  experiments  of  the  great 
chemist,  Lavoisier.  In  order  to  impress  on  the 
minds  of  the  people  of  LaVendee,  France,  the  ad- 
vantages of  combining  chemical  with  practical 
knowledge,  he  cultivated  two  hundred  and  forty 


Entomology.  113 

acres  on  scientific  principles.  In  nine  years  his 
produce  was  doubled,  and  his  crops  afforded  one- 
third  more  than  those  of  ordinary  cultivators.  * 

Entomology,  too,  a  science  but  little  known  until 
very  recently,  lays  a  weighty  claim  to  the  attention 
of  the  horticulturist.  We  find  the  earth  and  the 
air  filled  with  thousands  of  living  beings,  assuming 
the  most  wonderful  changes,  and  gifted  with  the 
most  surprising  instincts.  Some  of  these,  like  the 
silk-worm,  the  cochineal,  and  the  cantharides,  add 
to  the  wealth  and  luxury  of  man,  or  minister  relief 
to  his  diseases ;  others  are  destructive  to  his  pros- 
pects, and  enemies  to  his  repose. 

The  oak  timber  in  the  royal  dock-yards,  in 
Sweden,  had  been  perforated,  and  greatly  injured  ; 
the  king  sent  to  Linnaeus,  the  father  of  Natural 
History,  to  trace  out  the  cause  of  the  destruction  of  the 
timber.  He  detected  the  lurking  culprit  under  the 
form  of  a  beetle,  (Lymexylon  navale,)  and  by  direct- 
ing the  timber  to  be  immersed,  during  the  time  of 
the  matamorphosis  of  that  insect,  furnished  a  rem- 
edy which  secured  it  from  future  attacks.  *  *  * 
A.  caterpillar  of  unusual  size  and  singular  form, 
made  its  appearance  on  the  trees  of  the  Lombardy 
poplar,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  about  twenty 
years  ago.  Many  idle  reports  were  circulated.  A 
dog  was  said  to  have  been  stung  by  one  of  the  cater- 
pillars, which  occasioned  swelling  and  death  ;  rumor 
soon  asserted  that  the  victim  was  a  child,  and  the 
newspapers  circulated  each  idle  tale.  Now  the  work 
of  destruction  begun — the  axe  was  applied  to  the  or- 
namental trees  that  shaded  some  of  the  finest  streets 
of  the  village.  The  same  work  ol  extermination 
was  carried  on  at  farm-houses  and  gentlemen's  coun- 
try seats,  and  the  stately  poplars  were  levelled  to 
the  ground  and  burnt.  The  lover  of  nature  remon- 
strated, but  it  was  vain  to  contend  against  the  power- 


114  John  Bach  man. 

fill  current  of  prejudice.  A  little  knowledge  of  En- 
tomology might  have  satisfied  the  destroyers  of  those 
beautiful  works  of  God,  that  the  larva  they  so  much 
dreaded  was  harmless,  and  that  it  would  soon  as- 
sume a  chrysalis  form,  and  after  lying  inactive  for 
a  short  time,  would  put  on  wings  of  a  brilliant  hue, 
flit  joyously  on  the  air,  and  live  on  the  nectar  of 
flowers. 

But  an  objection  has  been  urged  against  this  study, 
which  the  lovers  of  science  are  anxious  to  combat, 
viz:  that  as  it  requires  death  to  be  inflicted  upon 
its  subjects,  therefore  they  charge  us  with  inhu- 
manity. Cruelty  consists  in  torturing  or  destroying 
any  living  thing  from  mere  wantonness,  without  a 
useful  end  in  view.  The  entomologist  does  not  do 
this.  His  insects,  by  processes  which  science  has 
taught  him,  are  almost  instantaneously  killed. 

He  does  not  agree  with  the  sentiment  expressed 
by  the  poet : 

"  The  poor  beetle  that  we  tread  upon, 
In  corporal  suffrance,  feels  a  pang  as  great 
As  when  a  giant  dies." 

His  knowledge  convinces  him  that  this  contains 
more  poetry  than  truth.  An  examination  of  the 
internal  system  of  insects  must  convince  us,  that 
they  possess  less  sensibility  than  even  the  tortoise, 
which  is  known  to  walk  after  its  head  has  been  sep- 
arated from  his  body.  The  silk-worm  and  other  of 
the  lepidopterous  family,  after  being  deprived  of 
both  legs  and  wings,  will  not  only  deposit  their 
eggs,  as  if  nothing  had  occurred,  but  will  also  live 
on.  Besides  the  period  of  an  insect  life,  when  it  is 
procured  for  the  cabinet  of  the  entomologist,  is 
almost  the  last  stage  of  its  existence.  The  butterfly 
would  have  perished  in  a  few  days,  and  the  coleop- 
terous insect  would  not  long  have  survived.  Let 


The  Mulberry.  115 

it  be  remembered,  too,  that  the  specimens  which  are 
treasured  in  the  cabinet  of  a  naturalist,  which  he 
values  more  than  gold,  and  on  which  he  thus  con- 
fers a  kind  of  immortality,  by  thus  being  collected, 
have  been  preserved  from  rapacious  birds,  fish,  or 
insects,  which  would  soon  have  devoured  them — 
more  have  been  destroyed  in  this  manner,  in  a 
single  day,  than  have  been  collected  by  all  the  ento- 
mologists in  the  world. 

The  cultivation  of  trees  for  shade  and  ornament, 
should  engage  a  portion  of  our  attention,  particu- 
larly in  our  city,  where  we  can  thus  bring  perfume 
into  the  air — produce  an  agreeable  shade,  and  con- 
tribute to  the  health  and  comfort  of  our  families. 

Our  vegetable  gardens  might,  particularly  in  the 
winter  and  the  spring,  be  made  among  the  very  finest 
and  lucrative  in  the  world.  Many  of  the  vegetables 
which,  in  Europe,  are  raised  with  great  care  and 
expense  in  hot  houses,  thrive  and  flourish  with  us 
in  the  open  air. 

The  Strawberry,  a  fruit  that  has  always  been  a 
favorite,  is  well  deserving  of  the  attention  and  en- 
couragement of  this  Society.  Some  of  them  cannot 
endure  the  heat  of  our  summer,  whilst  others  seem 
scarcely  affected  by  heat  and  moisture.  It  is  more 
than  probable  that  we  may  find  varieties  adapted  to 
the  soil  of  every  garden. 

The  Mulberry  tree  is  easily  cultivated — our  soil 
and  climate  are  admirably  adapted  to  its  growth. 
Some  of  those  that  were  planted  by  the  first  German 
Missionaries  at  Ebenezer,  Georgia,  during  the  time 
of  Governor  Oglethorpe,  are  still  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  The  culture  of  the  Mulberry  ought  to  be 
more  attended  to  in  our  Southern  country.  The  time 
may  not  be  far  distant,  when  the  reduced  prices  of 
cotton  may  render  the  raising  of  silk,  particularly 
the  raw  material,  one  of  the  staples  of  the  South. 


116  John  Bachman. 

It  is  now  believed  "that  many  portions  of  the 
poorest  pine-barrens  in  our  middle  districts,  are  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  the  culture  of  the  grape.  In  the 
neighborhood  of  Charleston,  many  varieties  for  the 
use  of  the  table  are  produced. 

The  forests  of  Carolina  abound  in  a  vast  variety 
of  beautiful  trees  and  shrubs,  which  we  ought  to 
transplant  into  our  walks  and  gardens.  Is  there  a 
tree  in  the  world  more  worthy  of  admiration  than 
our  Magnolia  Grandiflora,  the  majestic  native  of  our 
woods?  Our  Azaleas,  Phlox,  Scarlet  Lobelias,  Jas- 
mines, Honeysuckles,  etc.,  give  to  the  woods  of  Car- 
olina a  charm,  which  not  only  fills  the  heart  of  the 
lover  of  nature  with  delight,  but  causes  even  dull- 
ness to  pause,  wonder,  and  admire. 

The  God  of  Nature  has  cast  our  lot  on  this  teem- 
ing earth ;  let  it  be  our  task,  to  do  all  that  in  us 
lies,  to  render  this  earth  the  abode  of  comfort  and  of 
peace. 

If  we  do  not  give  to  man  that  which  is  profi- 
table in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  we  should  re- 
member, that  every  extra  tie  and  enjoyment  makes 
a  man's  home  dearer  to  him.  The  vegetables  which 
he  has  raised  with  his  own  hands,  in  his  own 
garden — the  tree  and  vine  which  his  wife  and  his 
children  have  assisted  him  in  planting — the  fruits 
which  they  have  admired  and  relished  together, 
and  the  flowers  which  they  have  reared  with 
mutual  care,  all  will  serve  to  strengthen  the  bonds 
of  conjugal,  parental,  and  filial  love." 

In  1840,  the  Horticultural  Society  was  so  well  es- 
tablished, that  it  offered  premiums  to  competitors. 
We  hold  in  our  own  hand  two  large,  heavy  silver 
medals,  (greatly  prized  by  the  recipients).  They 
bear  the  device,  " Fructibus  Decora"  One  was 


The  Migration  of  Birds.  117 

awarded  to  Mrs.  Bach  man,  for  the  best  specimens 
of  indigenous  plants,  the  other  to  Rev.  John  Bach- 
man,  for  the  best  specimens  of  cauliflower. 

Dr.  Bach  man  had  also  employed  his  few  leisure 
moments  in  preparing  an  Essay  entitled,  "  The 
Migration  of  the  Birds  of  North  America " — a  sub- 
ject that  had  attracted  his  attention  from  boyhood. 
The  paper  was  read  before  the  Literary  and  Philo- 
sophical Society  of  Charleston,  March  15th,  1833. 
It  was  afterwards  published  in  one  of  the  scientific 
journals. 

We  give  a  few  extracts  : 

'•  For  ages  past,  the  migration  of  birds  has  been  a 
subject  of  great  interest  to  naturalists.  The  myste- 
rious appearance  and  disappearance  of  many  species, 
at  different  periods  of  the  year ;  the  remote  or  un- 
known situations  to  which  they  retire  ;  the  sudden 
appearance  of  some  birds  in  the  spring,  after  one  or 
two  days  of  warm  weather,  and  their  equally  sudden 
disappearance  on  the  first  cold  day  ;  all  have  con- 
duced to  create  many  vague  and  superstitious 
notions  in  the  minds  of  the  uninformed,  and  have 
often  left  the  intelligent  student  of  nature  in  per- 
plexity and  doubt.  *  *  All  are  agreed  on  one 
point,  that  there  is  a  wide  field  open  for  inquiry 
and  observation.  The  works  of  God,  amidst  the 
wonders  of  nature,  are  always  worthy  of  investiga- 
tion. 

Very  little  has  been  written  on  the  migration  of 
North  American  birds;  a  topic  probably  regarded  of 
too  little  importance  to  meet  the  research  necessary 
to  a  satisfactory  result  of  such  an  intricate  subject ; 
for  the  elucidation  of  which,  I  have  my  self  possessed 


118  John  Bacliman. 

some  opportunities,  by  witnessing  the  migration  of 
birds,  in  three  very  distinct  portions  of  America 

That  instinct  is  truly  mysterious,  which,  at  partic- 
ular seasons  of  the  year,  teaches  birds  to  take  wing 
and  leave  their  native  haunts,  pursuing  their  onward 
course,  sometimes  across  arms  of  the  sea,  over  moun- 
tains and  forests,  into  far  distant  countries.  It  is 
equally  surprising,  that  many  of  them,  beginning 
their  migrations  in  summer,  should  thus  anticipate 
the  cold  ;  while  others  return  from  Southern  climes, 
before  the  snows  of  the  North  have  disappeared,  and 
whilst  winter  still  "lingers  in  the  lap  of  spring."  *  * 

Whatever  difficulties  there  may  be  in  accounting 
for  that  mysterious  principle  called  instinct,  which 
induces  birds,  at  certain  seasons,  to  change  their 
abode,  and,  after  an  interval  of  six  months,  to  return 
to  the  neighborhood  where,  the  year  before,  they 
reared  their  young ;  the  fact  of  these  migrations  is 
uncontrovertible,  and  the  reasons  why  they  take 
place  are  becoming  more  and  more  apparent.  Those 
birds  that  migrate,  are  from  the  very  structure  of 
their  bodies,  admirably  adapted  to  rapid  and  con- 
tinued flight.  Their  feathers  are  so  light,  that  they 
float  in  the  atmosphere  for  many  hours  with  very 
little  artificial  support.  The  tubes  of  these  feathers 
arc  hollow ;  the  bones  are  specifically  lighter  than 
those  of  quadrupeds ;  the  bones,  also,  are  hollow, 
and  instead  of  marrow,  are  filled  with  air.  They 
are  furnished  with  lungs  of  an  unusually  large  size 
adhering  to  the  ribs,  and  provided  with  aerial  cells, 
insinuating  themselves  into  the  abdomen.  These, 
added  to  great  length  and  strength  of  wing,  enable 
them  with  ease  and  rapidity,  to  navigate  the  air — to 
elevate  themselves  above  the  clouds,  and  pass  from 
one  country  and  climate  to  another.  From 

a  variety  of  accurate  experiments,  which  have  been 
made  at  different  periods,  it  appears  that  the 


Speed  of  Birds.  119 

Hawk,  the  Wild  Pigeon,  (Columba  migratoria,)  and 
several  species  of  Wild  Ducks,  fly  at  the  rate  of  a 
mile  in  a  minute  and  a  half;  this  is  at  the  rate  of 
forty  miles  an  hour,  nine  hundred  and  sixty  miles 
in  twenty-four  hours.  This  would  enable  birds  to 
pass  from  Charleston  to  our  distant  northern  settle- 
ments in  a  single  day  ;  and  this  easily  accounts  for 
the  circumstance,  that  geese,  ducks,  and  pigeons 
have  been  taken  in  the  Northern  and  Eastern  States, 
with  undigested  rice  in  their  crops,  which  must 
have  been  picked  up  in  the  rice  fields  of  Carolina  or 
Georgia,  but  the  day  before. 

The  story  of  the  falcon  of  Henry  II,  is  wellknown; 
which,  while  eagerly  pursuing  one  of  the  small  bus- 
tards at  Fontainebleau,  was  taken  the  following  day, 
at  Malta,  and  recognized  by  the  ring  which  she  bore. 

Swallows  fly  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  a  minute.  That 
many  birds  continue  their  migrations  by  night  as 
well  as  by  day,  may  be  easily  ascertained  from  their 
notes,  wliich  in  autumn  and  spring,  the  seasons  of 
their  migration,  we  often  hear  by  night.  The  great 
Whooping  Crane  scarcely  ever  pauses  in  his  migra- 
tions to  rest  in  the  Middle  States.  I  have  heard  his 
hoarse  notes  as  ne  was  passing  over  the  highest 
mountains  of  the  Alleghany ;  but  he  was  always  too 
high  to  be  seen  by  the  naked  eye.  This  bird  seems 
to  take  wing  from  his  usual  winter  retreats  in  the 
South,  ascends  into  the  higher  regions  of  air  (where 
less  inconvenience  is  experienced  from  darkness,) 
and  scarcely  halts  until  he  arrives  at  his  breeding 
places,  in  or  near  the  polar  regions. 

Birds  migrate,  either  to  avoid  the  cold  of  winter, 
or  to  find  more  abundant  food.  I  am  induced  to 
believe  that  the  latter  is  a  stronger  principle  than  the 
former.  *  *  *  Those  immense  numbers  of  birds 
that  feed  on  insects  and  worms,  all  migrate  to  those 
countries  where  they  are  abundantly  supplied  with 


120  John  Bachman. 

this  kind  of  food.  These  are  the  Swallows  (Hirundo), 
the  Night  Hawk  and  the  Whippoorwill  (Caprimul- 
gus),  the  fly-catchers  and  warblers.  To  them,  migra- 
tion is  essential  to  the  support  of  life.  Insects  at  that 
season  disappear;  the  eartli  is  bound  in  frost,  or 
covered  over  with  snow ;  but  long  ere  that,  these 
lively  tenants  of  the  air,  have  obeyed  the  impulses 
of  a  mysterious  instinct,  and  have  migrated  to  more 
congenial  climes. 

To  these,  we  may  add  all  birds  that  obtain  suste- 
nance from  fresh  water  ponds  and  rivers.  These,  find- 
ing the  Northern  swamps,  brooks  and  shores,  frozen 
over,  migrate  to  milder  regions,  where  they  can  pro- 
cure suitable  food.  Those  that  gain  a  subsistence 
from  the  sea,  are  not  obliged  to  migrate,  as  the 
Gulls,  Petrels  and  Puffins,  etc.  In  addition  to  their 
warm  covering,  they  are  supplied  with  sacs,  con- 
taining an  oleagenous  substance,  with  which  they 
lubricate  their  feathers,  thus  rendering  them  im- 
pervious to  moisture.  While  floating  on  the  surface 
of  the  water,  they  often  draw  up  their  feet  beneath 
their  warm  covering  of  down,  and  thus  every  part 
of  their  body  is  protected  from  the  influence  of  the 
cold. 

There  is  another  circumstance  that  ought  to  be 
taken  into  consideration,  with  regard  to  the  capacity 
of  birds  to  endure  cold.  A  large  mass  of  air  pene- 
trates the  lungs  and  all  the  aerial  sacs  and  canals  of 
the  bird,  thus  increasing  the  action  of  the  heart  and 
propelling  the  tide  of  circulation  with  great  rapidity. 
The  pulsation  can  scarcely  be  counted,  and  the  tem- 
perature of  the  bodies  is  as  high  as  106°  Fahrenheit — 
the  heat  of  the  body  enables  them  to  bear  with  ease, 
the  rigorous  cold  in  the  distant  north,  and  in  the 
elevated  regions  of  the  air.  I  have  seen 

wild  pigeons  in  immense  flocks  in  Canada,  in  the 
coldest  winters,  when  the  thermometer  was  below 


Why  Birds  Migrate.  121 

zero.  It  is  to  be  remarked,  that  the  previous  au- 
tumn had  produced  an  abundance  of  beech-nuts 
and  buck- wheat — their  favorite  food  ;  and  that  the 
ground  was  not  yet  covered  with  snow.  It  is  only 
when  the  forests  of  the  West  have  failed  in  their 
usual  supply  of  mast  and  berries,  that  the  wild 
pigeons  come  among  us,  to  claim  a  share  of  the 
acorns  and  berries  of  our  woods,  and  the  refuse  grains 
scattered  over  our  rice  fields. 

When  the  period  of  migration  arrives,  birds 
evince  an  uncontrollable  restlessnesss  of  disposition, 
as  if  conscious  that  an  important  undertaking  was 
at  hand.  I  have  kept  in  my  aviary,  robins,  finches 
and  orioles,  that  had  been  procured  when  young  at 
the  North,  and  no  sooner  did  the  Spring,  (the  time 
of  migration)  arrive,  than  they  exhibited,  by  their 
constant  fluttering,  a  disposition  to  escape,  and  the 
moment  this  was  affected,  they  flew  off,  not  to  the 
South  or  West,  but  as  directly  in  the  line  of  migra- 
tion, as  if  guided  by  a  compass.  These  are  facts  of 
which  the  humblest  person  may  inform  himself, 
but  which  neither  our  wisdom,  nor  our  philosophy, 
€an  explain. 

The  lover  of  nature  who,  in  the  seasons  of  the 
migrations  of  birds,  sees  flock  after  flock  passing 
over  his  head,  all  day  long,  or  witnesses  the  wrens, 
bluebirds  and  creepers,  stopping  just  for  a  few  min- 
utes to  seize  a  worm  or  an  insect ;  if  he  listens  at 
night  will  hear  unusual  sounds.  The  single  sharp 
note  of  the  rice-bird  repeated  all  around  him,  is  suc- 
ceeded by  the  crake  of  the  snipe,  resembling  the 
grating  of  a  wheel,  repeated  at  long  intervals ;  and 
the  Woodcock  (Scolopax  minor),  wheels  around  him 
uttering  notes  like  the  loud  ticking  of  a  watch,  so 
rapidly  repeated,  that  they  cannot  be  counted. 
The  bird  ascends  higher  and  still  higher  in  the  air, 
like  the  lark  of  Europe,  till  he  seems  to  have  risen 


122  Jolm  Packman. 

above  the  clouds,  when,  suddenly  his  voice  is  hush- 
ed, and,  in  zigzag  lines,  he  descends  rapidly  to  the 
earth,  and  alights  near  the  spot  from  whence  he  arose. 
This  is  repeated  for  several  successive  evenings,  and 
at  early  dawn,  till,  suddenly,  he  begins  his  annual 
migration  and  is  seen  no  more.  The  Yellow-crown- 
ed and  Night  Herons  utter  their  hoarse  croak  as 
they  pass  high  and  rapidly  on ;  and  at  a  still  greater 
distance  is  heard  the,  not  unmusical,  cry  of  the  Can- 
ada goose.  In  the  mean  time  the  Rails,  Owls, 
Thrushes,  Warblers,  and  many  other  birds,  glide 
silently  by  the  observer,  like  spirits  of  the  air ;  and 
without  being  superstitious,  there  comes  over  him  a 
sensation  of  admiration  and  fear;  and  he  feels  the 
truth  of  the  language  of  inspiration,  "  Great  and 
marvellous  are  Thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty" 

The  arrival  and  departure  of  birds,  affords  a 
pretty  sure  indication  of  the  state  of  the  weather, 
and  the  advance  of  the  seasons.  Living  constantly 
in  the  air,  and  exposed  to  all  its  variations,  they  be- 
come, either  from  instinct  or  habit,  acquainted  with 
the  changes  of  the  atmosphere,  with  the  winds  and 
seasons.  When  the  well  known  notes  of  the  Whip- 
poorwill  are  heard,  the  farmer  is  reminded  that  the 
time  for  planting  corn  is  at  hand.  The  Fish-hawk's 
return  to  the  rivers  of  the  North,  is  regarded  by  the 
fisherman  as  a  proof  that  the  season  for  taking  shad 
has  arrived.  When  the  Swallow  appears,  the  dan- 
ger of  frost  is  believed  to  be  over ;  the  Cuckoo  of 
Europe  is  hailed  by  the  old  and  young,  as  an  evi- 
dence of  the  return  of  Spring. 

u  Sweet  bird,  thy  bower  is  ever  green, 

Thy  sky  is  ever  clear  ; 
Thou  hast  no  sorrow  in  thy  song, 
No  winter  in  thy  year." 

The  inhabitants  of  our  Middle  and  Northern 
States  should  feel  equally  interested  and  pleased 


Nature's  Signal  Service.  123 

when  they  hear  the  soft  and  melodious  notes 
of  the  bluebird,  the  robin,  and  the  wood-thrush, 
reminding  them  that  "  the  Winter  is  past  and  gone, 
and  the  time  of  the  singing1)ird  has  come" 

Previous  to  a  storm  the  birds  give  indications  of 
its  approach.  Our  Vultures  in  great  numbers  rise 
in  circles  till  they  are  almost  lost  in  the  region  of  the 
•clouds,  the  stormy  Petrels  (Thlassidroma  Wilsonii, 
Bon.)  crowd  in  great  numbers  around  vessels,  and 
follow  in  their  wake,  as  if  seeking  the  protection  of 
•man ;  the  Seagulls  and  Terns  make  the  shores  re-echo 
with  their  hoarse,  clamorous  notes,  and  the  Barred- 
owl  (Strix  nebulosa)  utters  his  funereal  cries  even  in 
the  day.  But  when  fine  weather  is  about  to  return, 
the  whole  scene  is  changed,  and  every  hedge,  copse, 
and  grove  is  rendered  vocal,  and  the  whole  feath- 
ered tribe  seem  to  rejoice  in  the  anticipation  of 
bright  skies  and  sunny  days. 

My  subject  is  far  from  exhausted,  but  I  am  ad- 
monished to  bring  these  desultory  remarks  to  a 
close.  If  I  have  succeeded  in  throwing  even  a  ray 
of  light  upon  that  which  has  hitherto  appeared 
mysterious  in  nature ;  or  if  I  have  been  enabled  to 
awaken,  in  a  single  mind,  a  sentiment  of  admiration 
.and  gratitude  to  that  superintending  Providence 
who  teaches  the  stork  in  the  heavens  to  know  her 
appointed  time,  and  the  turtle,  and  the  crane,  and 
the  swallow  to  know  the  time  of  their  coming,  I  shall 
feel  doubly  recompensed  for  those  pleasing  studies 
of  nature  which  have  enabled  me  to  offer  these 
remarks. 

The  farther  we  pursue  this  subject,  the  more  we 
shall  be  convinced  that  in  nature  there  is  a  wise 
arrangement  which  governs  instinct  and  action,  and 
which  creates  being,  beauty,  and  happiness.  The 
laws  by  which  the  whole  system  of  nature  is  gov- 
erned, are  equalty  simple  and  majestic,  and  are 


124  John  Bachman. 

equally  visible  in  the  minutest,  as  well  as  in  the 
most  stupendous  of  God's  works.  From  the  beauty 
and  harmony  of  the  system  of  nature  by  which  we 
are  surrounded,  the  mind  is  sensibly  led  to  admire 
and  adore  the  mighty  Cause — the  Fountain  of  wis- 
dom and  perfection,  the  Unseen  but  Everpresent, 
Who  is  the  source  of  all  matter,  mind  and  modes 
of  existence. 

The  temple  of  nature,  wide  and  wonderful  as  it  is, 
stands  ever  open,  inviting  all  to  enter  and  learn 
lessons  which  are  calculated  not  only  to  enlighten 
the  mind,  but  to  improve  the  heart.  The  chief  ob- 
ject of  science  and  philosophy  should  be  to  lead  to 
the  altar  of  the  benevolent  Author  of  all  things, 
and  to  make  all  our  experience  and  knowledge  sub- 
servient to  His  grand  designs. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

1832   TO   1835. 
LABORS  IN  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

LETTERS  TO  AUDUBON  AND  HIS  SONS — SUCCESSFUL  LABORS  IN 
BOTANY  AND  NATURAL  HISTORY — ANECDOTE  OF  OEMLER  THE 
ENTHUSIASTIC  BOTANIST — THE  VISIT  OF  AUDUBON  AND  HI£ 
FAMILY — MR.  EDWARD  HARRIS,  OF  MORRISTOWN,  N.  J.— A 
NIGHT  WITH  THE  HUNTERS  AT  LIBERTY  HALL. 

To  AUDUBON: 

CHARLESTON,  January  20th,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND  :  For  some  weeks  I  have 
been  unwell,  and  for  a  few  days  in  bed.  I  shall  en- 
deavor to-day,  as  I  am  up  again,  to  amuse  myself  in 
writing  to  you. 

Your  last  letter  required  a  Philadelphia  lawyer  to 
decipher  it,  all  pothooks  ;  you  must  have  taken  les- 
sons from  some  new-fangled  writing-master  in 
Yankee-town,  who  has  taught  you  to  place  the 
letters,  as  Henry  Ward  sometimes  does  his  birds  in  a 
basket — heads  to  tails  and  crosswise.  *  * 

Now  for  a  rambling  letter  about  birds.  I  have 
not  used  a  gun  more  than  once  this  winter,  but, 
hope  to  do  so  again — when  I  regain  my  health.  Dr. 
Strobel  has  gone  to  Sinebal — a  portion  of  Florida 
where  you  have  never  been.  Leitner,  the  Botanist, 
leaves  here  on  an  expedition  to  Florida.  Many  of 
us  have  subscribed  in  shares,  to  receive  the  amount 
of  our  subscriptions  in  any  collections  in  Natural 
6 


120  John  Bach  man. 

History  that  we  may  desire.  My  nephew,  Dr. 
Martin  Lee,  lias  lately  returned  from  Alabama, 
where  he  expects  to  settle  as  physician  and  planter. 
He  informs  me  of  a  very  large  Hare  in  that  State, 
living  in  the  swamps  ;  and  also,  speaks  of  a  large 
brown  Squirrel.  I  have  just  given  him  some 
arsenic,  as  he  starts  to-morrow  morning,  and  he  will 

send  us  on  every  thing  that  he  conceives  to  be  new. 

*  *  *  *  *  -?f  * 

Before  I  forget  it,  you  cannot  form  an  idea  how 
acceptable  a  couple  of  skins  of  the  "  Variable  Hare," 
would  be  to  me.  I  have  already  added  one  Hare  to 
the  Fauna  of  the  United  States — hope  to  add  another 
very  soon,  and  I  want  the  skin  of  your  Northern 
one  to  make  comparisons. 

Henry  Ward  is  still  at  Santee ;  he  has  set  up  a 
number  of  Ducks  and  Hawks,  together  with  a  Deer, 
Turkey,  Eagle,  etc.  He  goes  next  week  to  the  sea- 
shore for  Gulls  and  Sea-ducks — as  yet,  he  has  found 
nothing  even  rare. 

Our  winter  has,  as  yet,  been  moderate,  and  wo 
have  not  had  the  usual  Northern  birds. 

I  should  not  like  you  to  publish  a  single  error,  if 
you  can  avoid  it,  and  therefore  express  my  fears  that 
the  "  Blue-headed  Pigeon,"  may  not  frequent  any  of 
the  Florida  Keys.  I  have,  as  yet,  found  no  one  who 
ever  saw  them  there  ;  and,  as  you  did  not  kill  any  of 
the  birds,  you  might  possibly  have  been  mistaken— 
your  reputation  is  worth  more  than  a  dozen  new 
species  of  birds.  But,  oh  !  if  Captain  Day,  with  his 
"  Revenue  Cutter,"  could  be  sent  round  to  the 
Pacific,  what  a  harvest  would  be  in  store  for  you. 

I  rejoice  at  the  success  of  your  work  in  Europe 
and  America  ;  if  you  live  to  complete  it  in  the  same 
style  in  which  it  has  been  commenced,  there  will  be 
fame  for  you  and  your  children. 

I  have  been  trying  to  send  sister  Maria's  drawings 


Birds.  127 

together  with  a  few  bird- skins  to  you  by  land,  but 
no  opportunity  offers  ;  and,  as  she  has  only  one  more 
to  draw,  I  shall  send  them  by  water. 

Tell  your  kind  son,  John,  to  show  his  good  will 
to  me  by  putting  me  up  a  few  bird-skins.  I  am 
told  that  he  does  not  particularly  like  bird-skin- 
ning ;  tell  him  that  he  might  have  a  worse  em- 
ployment. How  great  a  blessing  is  a  wife  and  sons, 
if  they  are  clever.  I  fancy  you  like  a  king  giving 
general  orders  in  your  old  age,  and  your  family, 
like  Ministers  of  State,  executing  them.  * 
I  have  hardly  room  left  to  add  my  name  and  to  say 
that,  I  am,  your  friend,  J.  B. 

John  Audubon  sends  the  skins  and  writes  his 
first  letter  to  his  future  father-in-law.  We  give  the 
reply. 

To  JOHN  W.  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  February  28th,  1833. 

I  received  your  welcome  letter,  and  before  I  had 
time  to  answer  it,  your  generous  present  arrived. 
I  write  this  evening  to  thank  you,  in  great  sincerity, 
for  this  act  of  attention  and  kind  remembrance.  To 
show  you  how  much  I  prize  the  bird-skins,  let  me 
assure  you,  that  I  had  not  a  single  one  in  my  col- 
lection of  the  kind  you  sent,  and,  some  of  the  birds, 
I  had  never  seen.  I  have  examined  them  over  and 
over  again ;  I  have  labelled  them  all ;  and  they  will 
always  remind  me  of  the  father  and  son  to  whom  I 
am  under  many  obligations.  You  sent  me  one  more 
bird  than  your  list  specified — the  Golden-Eyed  Duck — 
I  suppose  to  show,  that  a  generous  man  will  do 
more  than  he  promises. 

I  hope  that  it  will  give  no  offence  to  old  Mr. 
Jostle,  if  I  just  add,  that  notwithstanding  his  elegant 


128  John  Packman. 

copper-plate,  his  son  writes  a  somewhat  better  hand 
than  he  does  himself.  There  is  room,  however,  for 
improvement  in  all  of  us,  and  the  time  may  come, 
when  he  may  be  so  superior  in  that  department,  as 
to  set  up  a  patent  Writing  School,  to  teach  the  whole 
system  in  one  lesson,  and  perhaps,  by  that  time,  / 
may  do  the  same  in  drawing. 

You  certainly  underrate  your  talents  as  a  stuffer 
of  birds — indeed,  they  are  the  best  skins  I  have  in 
my  possession,  and  I  only  wish  that  I  could  do  them 
as  well — even  Henry  Ward  acknowledges  that  you 
are  his  equal  in  this  art. 

I  am  anxious  to  feel  myself  at  home  in  every  part 
of  Ornithology,  so  that  I  may  be  able  to  review  my 
old  friend's  "  Second  Volume."  In  two  or  three 
weeks  we  will  know  the  result  of  the  agitations  of 
Nullifying  brethren — for  weal  or  for  woe ;  and  should 
affairs  terminate  favorably,  I  shall  be  able  to  go  on 
with  a  little  more  spirit,  in  my  studies  of  Natural 
History. 

Yes !  I  am  always  ready  with  or  without  book,  to 
fulfil  my  pledge,  and  many  a  poor  fellow  has  found 
to  his  cost,  that  I  can  tie  a  knot  that  no  Jack-knife 
can  sever. 

What  chance  is  there  of  my  ever  shaking  you  by 
the  hand?  Will  the  flowers  of  spring  and  sum- 
mer be  over,  before  I  obtain  even  a  promise  ? 

Tell  your  good  father,  that  if  he  is  not  too  tired  of 
my  long  letters,  he  will  hear  from  me,  perhaps,  too 
soon.  In  truth,  when  I  am  dull,  (and  I  never  have 
known  what  low  spirits  were,  till  I  witnessed  the 
heart  burnings  of  political  strife),  I  begin  to  write 
a  letter  to  my  old  friend,  Jostle,  and  after  two  or 
three  lines,  all  care  and  sorrow  are  forgotten. 

Perhaps,  I  ought  to  be  ashamed  to  make  one 
other  request  about  bird-skins,  after  your  generos- 
ity ;  yet  I  would  add  a  list  of  Northern  birds  that  I 


Huntsmen.  129 

cannot  get  here,  not  that  I  wish  you  to  put  yourself 
to  one  dollar's  expense,  or  any  unnecessary  trouble. 
But,  I  have  thought,  that  when  two  good  shots 
crack  over  the  birds  right  and  left,  you  may  now 
and  then  come  across  one  that  would  suit  me — that 
old  Jostle  may  not  want,  and  that  young  Jostle  may 
not  find  of  too  unpleasant  a  savor  to  skin.  I  only 
say,  If  they  come  in  your  way,  remember  me;  if  I  never 
receive  a  single  one  more,  1  have  no  right  to  com- 
plain, Now  what  in  return  shall  I  do  for  you  in  the 
way  of  skins  ?  This  is  the  land  of  Cranes,  will  they 
be  of  any  use  ? 

Just  ask  your  father,  whether  he  remembers 
Chisolm's  Pond — when  I  missed,  I  always  had  for 
an  excuse,  that  my  gun  was  too  short,  and  when  he 
did  so,  he  always  said  that  the  Cranes  were  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  off.  We  are  all  well.  Our  best  respects  to 
your  parents;  I  shall  always  be  glad  to  hear  from 
you.  J.  B. 

To  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  January  23d,  1833. 

My  dear  Audubon — In  most  cases  I  have  to  apol- 
ogize to  my  correspondents,  for  my  neglect  in  writ- 
ing ;  I  must  now  apologize  for  writing  so  often.  In 
fact,  I  have  been  seriously  sick,  and  mend  slowly.  I 
want  something  to  amuse  me,  and  while  I  am 
writing  to  you  my  mind  is  cheered,  and  I  can,  al- 
most fancy  myself  enjoying  over  again,  the  happy 
hours  we  spent  together — they  were,  the  happiest  of 
my  life.  Do  you  not  remember,  as  if  it  were  yester- 
day, with  what  triumph  we  brought  home  the  first 
"  Blue  Herons?"  With  what  a  shout  we  made  the 
forest  echo,  when  we  picked  up  the  "  Yellow-crown- 
ed Heron,"  which  you  were  so  anxious  to  draw;  and 
how  we  rejoiced  when,  after  taking  so  wide  a  tour 


130  John  Bachman. 

over  the  "  Charleston  Bridge,"  we,  at  last  found  out 
where  the  "White  Cranes"  fed;  how  you  cheated 
me  out  of  a  shot ;  and  how  we  hung  up  the  fellows 
by  their  long  necks  on  the  bushes. 

I  am  very  much  gratified  to  hear  by  yours  of  the 
llth,  inst.,  that  your  son  Victor  arrived  safely,  and 
that  he  is  doing  well  in  England ;  and  that  your 
work  is  prospering.  You  are  aware  that  I  have  al- 
ways had  some  fears  that  your  work,  (so  very  expen- 
sive), might  embarrass  you  in  a  pecuniary  point  of 
view.  Your  son  being  an  active  man  and  acquaint- 
ed with  business,  may  be  of  immense  service  to  you. 
If  pecuniary  difficulties  are  overcome,  (and  I  trust 
that  they  will  be  by  active  exertions,)  your  work 
may  be  completed,  even  though  you  should  not  live 
to  give  it  a  finishing  hand.  In  a  very  short  time, 
you  will  have  drawn  the  greater  part  of  the  known 
American  Birds,  and  you  have  very  judiciously 
and  carefully  written  their  habits.  There  are  many 
who  can  put  them  together  in  histories.  Since  your 
last  visit  to  England,  you  have  done  wonders.  The 
drawings  you  have  made,  and  the  information  col- 
lected from  Florida,  Carolina,  Labrador  and  New 
England,  are  invaluable.  No  Ornithologist  in  the 
world  has  enjoyed  all  the  advantages  which  you 
have  possessed. 

When  I  spoke  of  your  obstinacy,  I  meant  it  as  a 
compliment,  and  I  am  glad  that  you  understood 
me ;  and  yet  you  are  not  as  obstinate  as  your  pred- 
ecessor, Wilson,  who  was  ready  to  quarrel  with  a 
man  because  he  differed  from  him  in  opinion.  I 
liked  Wilson  because  he  studied  nature ;  I  like  you 
because  you  give  theory  to  the  dogs ;  because  you 
give  to  the  opinions  of  others  just  as  much  as  they 
are  worth ;  because  you  will  examine  and  judge  for 
yourself ,  and  because  you  study,  where  every  Natu- 
ralist ought,  in  the  wide  field  of  Nature.  How  differ- 


Correspondence  with  Audubon.  '131 

ent  is  he i'  teaching  to  that  expressed  by  men  in 
general.  I  have  read  the  speculations  of  men,  I 
have  listened  to  the  tales  of  the  ignorant  traveler, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  there  were  defects  in  all  the  works 
of  God.  Then  I  have  turned  to  the  fields  and  woods  ; 
to  the  air,  the  earth,  and  the  sea  ;  and  I  perceived 
that  all  was  order,  harmony,  and  beauty,  and  I  have 
acknowledged  that  all  the  defects  were  in  the  short- 
sightedness of  man.  :  *  *  *  * 

That  you  will  be  obliged  to  begin  with  the  "  Water 
Birds,7'  after  the  second  volume  of  the  "  Land  Birds  " 
is  finished,  is  an  event  that  I  conceive  inevitable. 
It  will  take  many  years  to  finish  your  work.  Before 
that  time  a  number  of  land  birds  will  be  discovered 
which  are  now  unknown.  What  land  birds  may  not 
be  found  in  Florida,  along  the  borders  of  Mexico  and 
the  Pacific!  I  am  also  inclined  to  believe  that  you 
may  yet  wish  to  include  the  birds  of  Canada.  Under 
any  circumstances,  you  cannot  possibly  include  all 
your  land  birds  in  two  volumes ;  but,  surely,  your 
subscribers  would  rather  have  a  perfect  work  in  the 
manner  proposed,  that  have  some  post  mortem 
publication  like  Ord's  supplement  volume  to  Wil- 
son, in  which  the  reader  has  to  lament,  at  every 
step,  that  the  author  had  not  lived  to  save  his  work 
from  the  murderous  hands  of  a  friend. 

I  scarcely  know  what  answer  to  give  to  your  ques- 
tions— soliciting  advice  with  regard  to  your  travels 
in  the  Spring ;  but  I  will  say  something  to  convince 
you  that  I  have  thought  on  the  subject.  The  only 
reasons  why  a  visit  to  the  coast  of  Labrador  might 
be  advisable,  is,  that  you  may  be  able  to  complete 
your  dissertations  on  the  habits  of  the  Ducks,  Gulls, 
etc.  This  would  certainly  enable  you  to  say  more 
with  regard  to  the  habits  of  our  water  birds,  than 
has  ever  been  written  before ;  for  it  cannot  be  dis- 
guised that  little,  as  yet,  is  known  of  water  birds — 


132  John  Bachman. 

and  their  histories  are  just  as  interesting,  if  properly 
investigated,  as  those  of  the  land  birds.  *  *  * 
If  your  visit  to  Labrador  is  indispensable,  you 
had  better  go  in  the  Spring.  Florida  has  not  yet 
been  sufficiently  explored.  Leitner,*  and  others, 
who  are  on  the  look  out,  may  enable  you  to  procure 
additional  treasures  from  that  interesting  portion  of 
our  country.  Austin  Settlement,  although  not  a 
part  of  the  United  States,  is  yet  settled  by  our  peo- 
ple; there  you  might  travel  in  safety  and  obtain 
many  new  birds  from  Mexico.  *  *  *  I  do  not  wish 
you  to  go  to  the  Pacific,  but  when  you  go,  be  as  well 
prepared  as  you  were  on  your  visit  to  Florida ;  go 
with  a  company.  *  *  *  A  faithful  search  along  the 
coasts  of  the  Pacific  and  the  banks  of  the  Columbia, 
and  the  valleys  west  of  the  Pacific,  ought  to  take 
two  years,  or  at  least  not  under  twelve  months. 
There  is  a  passage  by  canoes  into  the  Northern 
Lakes,  but  there  is  scarcely  a  resting  place;  the 
traders  suffer  sadly,  and  they  would  not  stop  to  let 
you  kill  even  a  "  Bird  of  Paradise."  I  hope  to  live 
to  hear  you  tell  many  a  good  yarn  about  your  ad- 
ventures in  the  land  of  the  "  Black  Foot  Indian  " 
and  the  "  Grizzly  Bear  ; "  yet,  before  this,  let  your 
mind  be  made  easy  by  finishing  your  work  as  far  as 
it  can  be  done.  You  see  I  have  come  to  no  conclu- 
sion ;  but  I  dare  not  be  more  particular. 

Friend  Audubon,  how  many  Gulls  have  you 
drawn  ?  the  number  in  Bonaparte  startles  me.  *  * 
Your  last  birds,  like  the  leaves  of  the  Sibyl,  will  be 
most  valuable,  because  they  will  be  hard  to  obtain. 

*Dr.  Leitner  was  an  enlightened,  highly  educated  and 
skilful  German  physician,  who  afterwards  accompanied  an 
expedition  sent  to  Florida  by  the  United  States  to  keep  the 
Indians  in  check.  The  savages  took  Dr.  Leitner's  scalp  as 
a  trophy — the  dead  body  was  not  recovered.  His  death 
was  a  loss  to  science  and  humanity,  as  well  as  to  friendship 
and  kindred. 


The  Birds  of  America.  133 

See  how  I  have  run  on — are  you  not  glad  that 
my  sheet  is  filled  ? 

Best  respects  to  wife  and  your  son  John,  in  which 
I  am  always  joined  by  my  family. 

Your  friend,          J.  B. 

TO    AtJDUBON,    DIRECTED  TO  NEW  YORK  ClTY. 

CHARLESTON,  March  13th,  1833. 

My  dear  Audubon  :  I  received  your  very  affection- 
ate letter  a  few  days  ago,  informing  me  of  the  safe 
arrival  of  the  box  containing  Sister  Maria's  draw- 
ings, &c.  I  feel  grateful  for  the  expressions  of  es- 
teem and  friendship  which  your  letter  contains — 
allow  me  to  add,  that  my  family  and  myself  receive 
no  letters  which  are  more  welcome,  and  none  are 
read  with  more  avidity  than  yours.  And,  now,  since 
there  is  a  probability  that  our  correspondence  will, 
in  some  degree,  be  interrupted  in  consequence  of 
your  contemplated  visit  to  the  coast  of  Labrador,  a 
selfish  feeling  almost  induces  me  to  wish  that  you 
might  change  your  mind  and  remain  nearer  to  us. 
But  there  is  so  much  interest  thrown  ai^und  one 
who  undertakes  a  long  and  dangerous  journey  or 
voyage,  that  he  seems  to  rise  in  importance,  and 
seems  to  awaken  additional  affection,  in  proportion 
to  his  dangers,  and  the  length  of  his  absence.  I 
must  then  say,  in  God's  name — Go,  and  may  success 
attend  you. 

Sister  Maria  feels  grateful  to  you  for  your  too  flat- 
tering opinion  of  her  efforts.  I  take  it,  however,  as 
a  compliment  to  myself,  inasmuch  as  though  I  did 
not  me  the  brush,  I  occasionally  gave  advice  generally  ; 
however,  after  the  drawings  were  finished.  In  answer 
to  the  question,  did  she  execute  the  drawings  ?  I 
have  only  to  say,  "all  that  slw  did  not  do,  were  done 
by  your  humble  servant" 


134  John  Bachman. 

Friend  Audubon,  it  will  save  me  a  long  letter  of 
empty,  dry  descriptions,  to  say  to  you  that  the  only 
three  birds  which  you  have  in  Maria's  drawings,  and 
of  which  you  have  not  seen  the  originals,  were 
shipped  two  days  ago  on  board  of  the  Saluda  packet 
for  New  York — and  it  is  a  chance  if  the  vessel  does 
not  outsail  this  letter,  as  even  our  roads  have  de- 
clared for  "Nullification."  You  will  now  have  all 
the  skins  before  you — -judge  for  youself,  and  amend 
Maria's  drawings,  if  you  wish ;  but,  when  this  is 
done,  have  pity  on  me,  and  send  the  three  last  birds 
of  the  Sylvia  back  again ;  or  else  the  "Philosophical 
Society"  may  think  that  a  certain  Parson  and  Cu- 
rator does  not  know  the  difference  between  meum  and 
titum. 

Well,  friend  "  Jostle,"*  the  new  birds  have  made 
you  scratch  your  head — I  fancy  I  see  you  rummaging 
up  some  of  the  neglected  lumber  in  the  store-house 
of  that  capacious  brain  of  yours — you  have  more  ex- 
perience than  your  poor  friend,  but  I  think,  when 
your  letter  comes,  it  will  tell  me  that  I  was  not  far 
from  the  mark  in  the  first  four  birds  that  I  described 
and  that  the  other  three  can  only  be  known  by  a 
comparison  with  the  stuffed  specimens  of  birds 
which  they  represent.  .  * 

O,  this  abominable  Synopsis  !  It  is  only  calculated 
to  confuse.  Have  you  seen  specimens  of  these  birds  ? 
May  not  Cooper,  of  New  York,  have  them  ?  or  may 
not  "Bonaparte's  Vol.  of  Water  Birds"  be  so  far 
underway,  as  to  enable  you  to  make  comparison  ? 

All  beg  to  be  kindly  remembered  to  you  and 
yours.  Your  friend,  J.  B. 

*After  Audubon's  first  visit  to  Charleston,  we  find  the 
name  "Old  Jostle"  applied  by  John  Bachman  to  his  friend 
J.  J.  Audubon,  and  Young  Jostle  to  his  son  John,  or  Jostle 
No.  1,  and  to  Mr.  Victor  Audubon,  Jostle  No.  2.  Those 
who  could  have  given  the  origin  of  these  names  have  passed 
away. 


Discoveries.  135 

CHARLESTON,  September,  14th,  1833. 

Hail !  my  old  Friend,  all  hail !  Health,  success 
and  happiness,  attend  you — the  winds,  the  waves, 
the  heavens  and  fortune,  have  all  smiled  on  you. 
Welcome,  thrice  welcome,  to  the  homes  and  hearts 
of  your  friends  !  Long  may  you  be  spared  to  be  the 
honored  instrument  of  giving  to  the  world  the 
figures  and  the  biography  of  that  beautiful  feathered 
race,  that  seem  to  acknowledge  you  alone  as  worthy 
of  commemorating  their  forms  and  their  histories. 
Your  letter  from  Halifax  has  made  me  quite  happy. 
I  am  like  a  boy  that  has  just  heard  of  a  month's 
holiday.  I  have  just  read  your  letter  aloud  at  the 
dinner  table — all  rejoiced,  and  even  my  old  mother, 
was  much  interested ;  all,  even  to  the  youngest, 
send  their  good  wishes,  respects  and  love  to  you. 

I  congratulate  you  on  your  new  discoveries.  *  * 
I  long — long  to  see  these  new  specimens.  A  Parus  ! 
a  Finch  !  a  Muscicapa ! — where  does  the  last  bird  go 
to  in  winter  ?  A.  new  Rat !  a  new  Bat ! — God  bless 
us  !  I  am  almost  crazy !  I  am  glad  that  Harlan  is 
off — for  now  I  shall  come  in  for  the  four-footed 
beasts. 

There  is  scarcely  any  use  in  beginning  with  my 
yarns  in  this  letter.  I  proceed  to  the  subject — this 
lies  nearest  my  heart.  You  must  pay  me  a  visit 
this  autumn  ;  you  must  just  pay  me  a  visit.  Bring, 
if  you  can,  the  wife  and  son;  you  shall  all  be 
welcome — doubly  so  ;  but  you,  I  must  see.  You 
cannot  go  to  Florida — there  is  no  use  to  go  in  the 
winter ;  you  must  finish  your  next  volume  of 
biography.  Stay  in  the  Atlantic  States  this  winter, 
and  when  the  Blue  Bird  carols  his  earliest  song  in 
Spring — then  off  to  Florida,  Arkansas,  or  the  Pacific. 

I  shall  write  you  again  in  a  couple  of  days. 
Remember  me  to  young  Jostle.' 

Your  friend,  J.  B. 


136  John  Bachman. 

The  invitation  was  accepted  by  Audubon  and  his 
son,  John  Waterhouse  Audubon. 

We  find  many  letters  during  this  next  year  (1834), 
from  botanists,  especially  from  Oemler,  an  enthusias- 
tic German,  at  that  time  residing  in  Savannah,  Ga. 

Bachman  tells  us  that  on  one  occasion  they  were 
botanizing  together;  his  companion  strayed  away* 
and  at  length  he  discovered  him,  on  his  knees,  thank- 
ing God  that  he  has  found  a  new  plant. 

Dr.  Harlan  and  Charles  Pickering,  of  Philadel- 
phia, were  already  among  his  correspondents  in 
America,  and  letters  from  scientists  in  England  and 
Germany,  all  attest  to  his  successful  labors  in  Botany, 
Natural  History,  etc. 

Dr.  Harlan  wrote  in  1834  : 

I  am  honored  by  placing  you  among  the  most 
favored  of  my  correspondents,  and  feel  myself 
abundantly  indebted  to  you  for  the  interesting  facts 
and  valuable  hints  contained  in  your  last.  Excuse 
the  liberty  I  have  taken  in  reading  several  extracts 
to  the  "  American  Philosophical  Society,"  at  its  last 
meeting.  Your  letter  attracted  much  attention,  and 
gave  rise  to  an  animated  discussion.  I  found  that 
you  were  already  very  favorably  known  to  Dr. 
Vaugn,  and  other  members.  I  shall  not  fail  to 
profit  by  your  observations  in  my  next  edition  of 
the  "  Fauna  Americana." 

In  1835,  Audubon  was  in  Europe,  publishing  his 
"  Birds  of  America,"  while  Bachman  was  at  home 
closely  studying,  in  his  hours  of  recreation,  the  skull 
and  the  habits  of  the  Buzzard  and  Alligator. 


Labors  in  Natural  History.  137 

The  friends  had  much  to  communicate  to  each 
other.  Occasionally,  Bachman  discovered  a  plant 
or  bird  that  had  not  been  described,  and  mutual  re- 
joicings followed. 

He  wrote  enthusastically  to  his  friend  : 

My  Dear  Audubon — "  Your  Second  Volume  is 
decidedly  superior  to  the  first — it  is  indeed  beauti- 
ful. The  plates  of  the  Water  Birds  do  you  credit.  I 
rejoice  over  them.  You  will  reap  fame,  if  not 
wealth.  Friend  Audubon,  you  must  not  praise  me 
so  much  in  your  articles.  I  give  you  fair  warning. 
I  have  no  objection  to  being  referred  to  with  regard 
to  the  habits  of  some  birds,  but,  anything  more, 
will  induce  me  to  score  you  well  * 

Your  references  to  your  learned  friend  John  Bach- 
man,  D.  D.j  are  all  humbug." 

In  September  1836,  a  mild  form  of  cholera  was 
prevailing  in  Charleston.  Audubon  had  just  re- 
turned from  Europe  to  America. 

CHARLESTON,  Sept.  14th,  1836. 

My  good  old  friend — How  greatly  do  we  rejoice  to 
hear  of  your  and  John's  safe  arrival  in  America ; 
although  not  a  Prophet,  you  predicted  the  very  day 
of  your  arrival.  There  is  no  one  whose  society,  in 
these. days  of  anxiety  and  distress,  would  be  more 
dear  to  me,  and  prove  a  greater  cordial  to  my  de- 
jected feelings,  than  yours,  but  as  it  is,  we  cannot  see 
you  for  several  weeks  to  come. 

I  received,  yesterday,  your  first  letter  by  mail,  and 
to-day,  another  by  steamer.  Your  very  fine  dog 
arrived  safe,  and  is  now  kicking  up  a  dust  with 
"  Nell "  in  the  yard,  The  latter  is  a  perfect  beauty 


138  John  Kaclnnan. 

and  staunch  as  a  rock,  in  fact,  she  runs  like  the  wind 
and  outdoes  herself. 

Do  try  to  keep,  at  least,  a  pair  of  pigeons  for  me, 
I  greatly  long  for  them.  Dr.  Wilson  and  sister 
Maria,  have  several  elegant  mocking-birds  for  you. 
I  hope  that,  by  this  time,  you  have  received  a  list 
of  the  birds  collected  for  you. 

I  am  not  surprised  at  your  having  gone  to  Philadel- 
phia. Who  could  help  it,  when  a  dozen  new  birds 
were  in  the  way  ?  Several  are  already  published  by 
Wilson,  Cooper  and  Swainson;  these  surely,  you  will 
be  allowed  to  figure — you  did  the  same  for  Wilson. 
The  new  birds,  they  will  probably  describe  in  some 
Journal — all  this  is  fair.  But  after  that,  surely,  they 
will  let  you  figure  them. 

Capt.  Day  is  on  the  Florida  coast.  I  gave  him 
your  large  gun  and  a  keg  of  whisk ey,  to  put  up 
specimens.  Dr.  Leitner  is  among  the  "  Keys."  I 
gave  him  my  own  gun  and  whiskey  for  specimens. 

With  regard  to  Florida,  nothing  will  be  done  by 
Naturalists  for  at  least  two  years.  Your  Indian 
friends,  the  cut-throats,  have  scalped  almost  every 
woman  and  child  south  of  St.  Augustine,  save  those 
on  Key  West.  They  have  burnt  and  plundered 
every  plantation  ;  and  although  they  will  probably 
be,  in  a  great  measure,  put  down  next  Winter,  yet 
there  will,  undoubtedly,  remain  many  small  preda- 
tory bands  that  would  make  no  bones  of  scalping 
an  Ornithologist  secundum  artem ;  and  would  ask  no 
questions  whether  he  was  the  friend  or  enemy  of 
William  Penn.  Of  Texas,  I  think  better;  and 
thither,  or  along  its  borders,  you  may,  I  think, 
venture — for  the  Texans  are  our  friends.  I  suppose 
Genl.  Gaines  will  keep  the  Comanches  quiet. 

Now  for  the  health  of  the  city.  We  are  very 
anxious  about  the  Cholera.  We  know  not  what  a 
night  may  bring  forth.  I  will  defer  until  to-mor- 


Cholera,  139 

row  what  I  have  to  say  on  this  distressing  subject. 

#     #     #     *     # 

Thursday,  September  loth. — The  Cholera  has, 
indeed,  made  its  appearance  among  us ;  there  are 
mitigating  circumstances  about  it ;  yet,  being  a  new 
disease,  and  destructive  of  the  life  of  certain  descrip- 
tions of  persons,  it  has  cast  a  deep  gloom  over  our 
city.  The  disease  is  confined  principally  to  our  do- 
mestics, and  the  irregular  among  the  whites.  My 
own  servants  have  nearly  all  been  down  in  succes- 
sion. My  daughter  Eliza  was  slightly  attacked,  but 
now  she  looks  as  blooming  as  ever.  As  regards  my 
own  health  I  mend  but  slowly  from  rheumatism. 
If  I  were  not  so  much  engaged  and  exposed,  pro- 
fessionally, I  should  recover  faster.  I  am  weak  in 
my  limbs,  and,  like  an  old  man,  I  use  a  cane. 

I  shall  write  you  again  by  this  boat.  All  unite 
in  love  to  you,  and  to  John. 

Your  friend,  J.  B. 

CHARLESTON,  Sept,  17th,  1836. 

To  THE  SAME : 

I  commenced  writing  to  you  on  the  day  of  the 
steamboat's  arrival,  and  added  something  to  my 
letter  every  day ;  when  finished,  the  girls  blotted 
the  superscription  in  clapping  on  their  new  fangled 
Avafer ;  and  then  sister  Maria  laughed  at  us  all.  As 
the  steamboat  does  not  go  for  an  hour,  and  many 
thoughts  are  crowding  into  my  mind,  I  write  to  you 
again. 

The  reports  of  Cholera  are  daily  more  favorable — 
strange  that  in  a  city  like  ours — far  South,  and 
crowded  with  subjects,  it  should  not  have  carried 
ruin  and  misery  along  with  it.  But  it  has  proved 
far  otherwise ;  as  yet,  not  a  respectable,  temperate 
white,  that  I  know  of,  has  died ;  and  even  among 
our  domestics,  the  most  careless  and  irregular  only, 


140  John  Bachman. 

have  been  cut  off.  Some,  indeed,  are  of  the  opinion 
that  it  is  not  Asiatic  Cholera.  I  think  otherwise. 
The  state  of  collapse  can  scarcely  be  mistaken ;  and 
those  who  have  died  have,  nearly  all,  fallen  into 
this  state  before  death.  Fortunately  the  disease  did 
not  appear  among  us,  until  it  had  traveled  through 
the  North  and  West.  Our  people  were  not  much 
alarmed,  but  remained  at  their  posts,  watching  the 
first  symptoms,  and  checking  the  disease  before  it 
had  put  on  an  alarming  character.  During  my 
confinement  I  read  everything  that  I  could  find 
written  on  the  subject,  and  became  a  quack  myself. 
Dr.  Harlan's  reports  I  found  most  sensible,  and  his 
writings  have  raised  him,  in  my  estimation,  as  a 
Physician  of  excellent  judgment.  My  family  are 
all  well  again,  excepting  my  mother's  white  servant, 
and  she  is  better.  Relapses  in  this  disease  are  ex- 
ceedingly common  ;  even  a  cup  of  tea,  or  a  piece  of 

bread,  sometimes  causes  the  patient  to  lose  ground. 

*     *     *     * 

Before  I  go  further,  let  me  tell  you  that  one  of  the 
evils  of  my  late  indisposition,  from  which  I  recover 
but  slowly,  is,  that  I  cannot  hold  my  hand  steady ; 
after  writing  for  ten  minutes,  I  have  to  lie  down 
and  rest  a  little. 

While  you  are  detained  at  the  North,  there  are 
some  matters  to  which  it  would  be  well  for  you  to 
attend.  Find  out  in  what  quantities  and  how  far 
North  our  long-billed  Curlews  are  found  and 
migrate.  William  Cooper  ought  to  permit  you  to 
figure  the  "Mourning  Warbler."  He  did  not  say, 
"  No,"  when  I  asked  him,  but  he  did  not  say,  "  Yes." 
He  was  under  obligations  to  Bonaparte  then,  and 
he  distinctly  said  that  if  that  work  was  discontinued, 
he  would  be  willing  to  give  you  all  the  assistance 
he  could  render.  I  am  not  sure  that  you  have,  as 
yet,  figured  the  Grey  Owl  of  Maine.  You  must  find 


Has  the  Cholera.  141 

out  his  habits  and  those  of  the  Hawk.  The  Fresh 
Water  Ducks  we  can  easily  get  here ;  and  you  need 
not  trouble  yourself  about  them  in  the  North,  but 
remember  the  Sea-Ducks  you  must  procure  in  Bos- 
ton and  New  York.  When  you  come  among  us.  we 
will  talk  over  every  bird  in  your  collection,  and  at 
the  end  of  your  next  Letter-press,  you  will  show 
what  true  greatness  is,  by  doing  all  in  your  power 
to  correct  every  error,  and  thus  to  place  our  Orni- 
thology where  it  should  be.  *  *  *  *  * 

Our  young  Anhingas  and  Caraca  Eagles  are  in 
elegant  order.  Come  and  converse  with  them. 

Tell  John  that  we  will  make  the  time  of  his  ab- 
sence as  short  as  possible — a  little  while  longer,  and, 
God  willing,  we  shall  take  you  both  by  the  hand. 

I  must  close,  or  the  boat  will  be  off.  In  great 
haste. 

I  remain  as  ever,  your  friend,  J.  B. 

John  W.  Audubon  was  at  this  time  engaged  to 
Maria  R.,  Dr.  Bachman's  eldest  daughter. 

To  AUDUBON : 

September  23d,  1836. 

As  you  in  your  last  complain  of  not  hearing  from 
us,  I  will  begin  a  letter  to-day,  and  add  to  it  to-mor- 
row, before  the  steamer  leaves.  * 

My  family,  since  I  wrote  you  last,  have  been  well, 
except  myself.  *  *  My  system  was  debilitated,  my 
exposure  was  great,  and  it  was  not  surprising  that  I 
should  get  an  attack  of  Cholera.  I  was  ill  and  then 
had  a  relapse.  Dr.  Wilson,  fortunately,  happened 
to  be  in  the  house  at  the  time.  The  second  attack,  as 
it  was  attended  with  great  coldness  of  the  extremi- 
ties, was  rather  more  alarming  than  the  first.  It 
yielded,  however,  to  the  usual  remedies.  I  am  now 


142  John  Bachman. 

sitting  in  ray  study,  with  your  three  large  Books  of 
Engravings  near  me,  while  I  am  writing.  1  sup- 
pose that  I  shall  not  be  allowed  to  go  out  for  a 
couple  of  days ;  I  am  a  little  salivated,  and  what  is 
singular  enough,  I  have  lost  all  my  lameness.  Hith- 
erto I  had  been  obliged  to  limp  and  use  a  cane,  and 
now  I  walk  without  one,  and  feel  no  pain.  So  you 
may  set  it  down  that  Cholera  cures  Rheumatism. 
But  I  have  talked  enough  about  myself. 

Let  me  once  more  urge  you  not  to  come  to  Charles- 
ton before  you  are  bidden ;  sister  Maria,  who  is  at  my 
elbow,  adds  "before  you  are  welcome" so  you  see  you 
might  stand  some  chance — and  John  too,  of  being 
turned  out  of  doors.  I  have  taken  a  great  fancy  to 
Edward  Harris,*  could  you  not  bring  him  with  you, 
and  let  him  join  our  old  fashioned  party?  What  a 
treat !  Please  inform  me  what  has  been  his  success 
with  the  Curassow  birds  ?  My  Pheasants  had  several 
fine  young  ones,  that  could  fly  to  the  top  of  the 
fence.  When  I  was  sick,  alas!  fhey  suffered  the 
dogs  to  kill  them.  The  Cormorants  are  in  fine 
order.  *  * 

J.  B. 

September  30th. 

We  hope  soon  to  have  it  in  our  power  to  remove 
the  embargo,  and  the  old  ship  and  tight  little 
schooner  may  sail  boldly  into  port,  without  lying 
at  Quarantine.  In  other  words,  you  and  young 
John  may,  ere  long,  come  and  feast  your  appetites 
on  specimens  of  tough  beefsteaks,  dry  rice  and 
hominy.  I  think  I  see  you  coming  from  town  as 
hungry  as  hunters.  "Bless  my  soul,"  say  you,  "I 
am  almost  starved  to  death,"  and  the  beefsteak  like 

*Edward  Harris,  Esq.,  Morristown,  N.  J. 


A  Bill  of  Fare,  143 

a  tough  hide  of  an  alligator  will  rise  like  Banquo's 
ghost  before  you.  I  fear  that  you  will  both  be  as 
lank  as  Greyhounds,  the  week  after  your  arrival. 
But  I  forget  that  one  of  the  party  can  easily  feed  on 
love,  and  that  we  have  besides,  at  least,  a  dozen  jars 
of  old  birds  in  whiskey,  which  may  serve  for  the  two 
old  naturalists.  The  truth  is,  the  country  folk  are 
afraid  to  come  to  the  market — vegetables  are  forbid- 
den ;  fish  and  shrimps  are  thrown  into  the  dock. 
We  will  have  to  stay  our  appetites  by  talking  about 
birds.  Oh,  what  a  feast !  Why  we  will  devour  every 
bird  on  the  Pacific,  beginning  at  the  great  Condor 
and  leaving  off  at  the  new  Humming-bird — which 
I  hope  has  been  re-discovered.  The 

birds  have  arrived  after  a  long  passage.  The 
pigeons,  you  know,  I  am  fond  of.  Dr.  Wilson  longs 
for  a  Jay,  and  I  will  send  it  to-morrow.  The  boxes 
of  plates  have  arrived  ;  they  are,  to  my  eye,  the  most 
beautiful  engravings  that  I  have  ever  seen.  *  * 

I  am  getting  quite  well  again,  and  will  soon  be 
able  to  out-walk  you.  Sister  Maria  has  not  been  able 
to  paint  much  for  you,  within  the  last  month,  hav- 
ing been  principally  engaged  in  nursing  the  sick. 

Old  friend,  I  have  not  heard  from  you  for  some 
time,  where  are  you,  and  what  are  you  doing? 

Your  friend, 

J.  B. 
From  Miss  MARTIN  to  J.  J.  AUDUBON. 

CHARLESTON,  October  28th,  1836. 

My  dear  Friend — Your  welcome  letter  did  not 
reach  Charleston  for  more  than  two  weeks  after  it 
was  written. 

Dr.  Bachman  has  quite  recovered  his  health  and 
activity,  and  is  anxiously  looking  forward  to  the 
time  of  your  arrival.  We  have  given  our  neighbors 
warning  not  to  be  alarmed  if  they  hear  a  tremendous 


144  John  Bachman. 

uproar  in  our  quiet  domicile,  as  we  know  that  when 
you  arrive,  his  expressions  of  joy  will  be  rather 
boisterous. 

When  you  are  seated  by  a  comfortable  fire  in  our 
little  study,  I  shall  show  you  something  that  will 
prove  to  you,  that,  though  absent,  you  were  not  for- 
gotten by  your  friend,  John  Bachman. 

I  do  not  wonder  at  the  satisfaction  of  your  sub- 
scribers with  your  Third  Volume,  it  is,  indeed  splen- 
did !  You  must  be  merciful  to  me,  and  excuse  me 
for  having  done  so  little  for  you  in  the  painting  line, 
I  hope  soon,  to  assist  you.  When  you  are  here,  I 
will  be  quite  at  vour  disposal — I  will  be  your  aman- 
uensis, painter  or  any  thing  else  that  will  be  an 
assistance  to  you ;  not  forgetting  the  darning  of  socks, 
which  you  know  was  my  employment  on  a  former 
occasion,  during  the  absence  of  your  good  wife.  My 
sister,  and  all  the  young  folks  send  their  love. 

Accept,  my  dear  friend,  the  assurance  of  the 
warmest  regards  of 

Your  affectionate  friend,  M.  M. 

P.  S. — Dear  Audubon — I  have  notheaid  that  any 
persons  recently  arrived  here,  have  taken  Cholera,  I 
doubt  if  you  and  John  would  be  subjects  for  it.  I 
believe  that  this  letter  will  not  reach  you  at  the 
North — and  I  hope  that  you  will  come  ahead  of  it. 

Have  you  the  common  House  Wren?  if  not  order 
it,  and  let  us  compare  it  with  ours  now  here,  which 
may  be  your  Wood  Wren;  I  am  anxious  about  this 
matter.  I  wrote  you  at  Baltimore  and  shall  proba- 
bly not  write  again. 

These  are  awful  times  in  money  matters,  but  of 
this,  you  will  hear  enough  when  we  meet.  Every 
one,  nearly,  has  failed,  but  the  Parsons  and  Ornitho- 
logists— Why?  Because  they  have  nothing  where- 
with to  fail.  In  haste,  Your  friend,  J.  B. 


Liberty  Hall.  145 

Audubon  his  wife  and  son,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Edward  Harris,  arrived  in  due  time. 

Hunting,  fishing  and  botanizing,  were  the  order 
of  the  day. 

The  plantation  of  Dr.  C.  Desel,  his  hospitable 
home,  Liberty  Hall,  Goose  Creek,  near  Charleston, 
was  a  favorite  resort  for  the  friends. 

It  is  a  cold  night  in  December.  Let  us  throw 
back  the  heavy  chintz  curtains,  and  look  within. 
Great  blazing  logs  are  in  the  open  fire  place,  light- 
ing up  the  whole  room.  The  antlers  of  deer  captured 
in  the  chase,  adorn  the  walls.  The  hunters  seated 
around  the  fire,  are  jubilant  over  the  splendid  luck 
of  the  day. 

It  is  an  interesting,  happy  group  before  us ;  Au- 
dubon, with  his  massive  forehead  and  his  waving, 
dark  hair — slightly  touched  with  gray — worn  long, 
and  flowing  over  an  ample,  white  collar  ;  his  nose 
aquiline;  his  mouth  well  formed  ;  and  his  beautiful, 
eagle  eye  full  of  animation.  Bachman,  with  his 
noble  countenance,  and  genial  flow  of  thought  and 
word.  Mr.  Edward  Harris,  the  tall,  refined,  cul- 
tivated gentleman.  Dr.  Wilson,  as  trim  as  shiny 
boots  and  well  brushed  coat  could  make  a  successful 
practitioner.  John  W.  Audubon,  with  his  compact, 
well  developed  body,  and  his  handsome  face — brim- 
'  ful  of  fun.  To-day  he  has  killed  his  first  deer,  and, 
according  to  ancient  usage,  was  blooded — that  is, 
was  marked  on  the  face  with  the  warm  blood  of  the 
newly  killed  deer — (a  ceremony  decidedly  more  en- 
joyable to  the  old  hunters,  than  to  the  one  under- 


146  John  Bachman. 

going  the  ordeal).  They  have  already  partaken  of 
a  substantial  supper,  and  are  talking  over  the  sport 
and  triumph  of  the  day.  Two  noble  bucks  and  a 
doe  have  been  brought  home,  swung  across  the  front 
of  the  saddles.  According  to  plantation  etiquette, 
the  deer  taken  belongs  to  the  fortunate  hunter f 
whose  shot  brought  him  to  the  ground.  Therefore 
a  fine  supply  of  venison  and  game  is  secure,  not 
only  for  the  Pastor's  table,  but  for  the  sick  and  deli- 
cate in  his  flock,  who  will  share  in  the  spoils  of  the 
chase. 

John  Audubon  is  making  a  suggestion — that 
every  one  of  the  company  be  required  to  prepare  a 
verse  for  a  poem  to  be  sung  to  a  time-honored 
Southern  ditty  :  "  Clare  de  kitchen,  old  folks,  youruj 
folks,  Old  Virginny  nebber  tire"  The  proposition  is  re- 
ceived with  applause.  This  is  Thursday  night :  Sat- 
urday the  Parson  must  be  at  home,  therefore  the  poets 
must  finish  their  verses  by  Friday  evening.  The  vote 
is  given,  by  acclamation,  that  John  Audubon,  who 
has  a  reputation  in  that  line,  should  be  the  minstrel. 
The  next  morning  is  a  rare  occasion.  Quite  a  little 
company  have  assembled  from  a  neighboring  plan-* 
tation.  At  the  wide-open  door,  appear  the  ebony, 
smiling  faces  of  Sambo,  March  and  others  who  kept 
the  deer  stands,  etc.,  yesterday. 

Without  delay,  John  Audubon  appears  in  his 
hunter's  dress,  horn  at  his  side  and  violin  under  his 
chin. 

The  first  verse  is  laudatory  of  the  hospitality  of 
the  Master  of  the  Ceremonies,  Dr.  Desel.  In  the  verses 


A  Short-tail  Rat.  147 

that  follow,  the  hits  become  more  and  more  telling, 
until  the  sound  of  the  fiddle  strings  is  almost 
drowned  by  the  laughter  and  applause.  The  whole 
company  join  in  the  chorus.  John  Bachman's  verse 
describes  a  long,  tedious,  and  remarkable  ride  taken 
by  young  John  on  a  hard-going  horse. 

"  Young  Jostle,  he  mount  on  "  Mossa  "  big  /to**, 
And  he  look  so  fine,  we  took  him  for  Boss, 
But  soon  he  began  to  ride  more  sideway  than  straddle, 
And  to  beg  for  a  sheep-skin  to  put  on  de  saddle. 
Chorux— Clare  de  kitchen,  ole  folk,  young  folk, 
Old  Virginny,  nebber  tire." 

The  closing  verse  was  composed  by  young  John 
himself — it  told  of  the  Parson's  search  after  the  long 
coveted  "  Short-tail  Rat?  and  his  joy  over  the  dis- 
covery of  the  same.  At  that  moment  the  minstrel 
pauses,  and  points  with  his  violin-bow  above  the 
door,  and  there,  to  the  great  surprise  of  all,  hangs  a 
veritable  rat,  with  the  prescribed  short-tail,  quite 
visible  ;  young  John's  clippers  having  secretly  trans- 
formed the  tail  of  a  common  long-tailed  rat  into  the 
new  species. 

The  slumbers  of  all  that  night  were  deep  and 
sweet.  On  the  morrow  the  friends  take  leave ;  and 
•with  light  hearts  our  party  beguile  with  merry  chat 
the  homeward  journey  to  Charleston. 


CHAPTER  X. 

1837. 
BACHMAN  AND  AUDUBON. 

UNION  BETWEEN  THE  FAMILIES  OF  BACHMAN  AND  AUDUBON — 
THE  HOME — LETTERS  TO  AUDUBON,  AND  TO  HIS  SON,  JOHN 
W.  AUDUBON — VISIT  TO  BALTIMORE — LETTER  TO  MB.  EDWARD 

HARRIS — FAILING    HEALTH. 

i 

WE  find  from  the  following  letter,  that  the  union 
between  the  families  of  Bachman  and  Audu- 
bon,  was  at  hand. 

CHARLESTON,  May  14th,  1837. 

My  Dear  Audubon :  I  write  you  in  haste,  and  am 
uncertain  if  this  letter  will  reach  you  before  you  leave 
Louisiana.  You  are  aware  that  I  have  to  visit  the 
North  the  latter  end  of  this  month,  on  business  con- 
nected with  the  Church ;  this  you  know,  must  be 
attended  to  before  Ornithology,  or  even  Matrimony. 
I  go  in  a  day  or  two  to  Norfolk,  and  hope  to  be 
once  more  in  Charleston  by  the  latter  end  of  June, 
which  I  conceive  to  be  about  the  time  when  I  may 
look  for  your  visit  to  us. 

We  are  all  well.  I  am  terribly  hurried,  and  my 
letter  must  be  short.  I  have  received  the  fullest  in- 
formation about  the  Flamingoes ;  and  the  eggs 
themselves,  I  hope  to  get  before  your  return.  I  also 
found  the  nest  of  the  Carolina  Titmouse,  etc.  *  * 

You  are  aware  from  a  former  letter,  that  your 
Quadruped  skins  were  wrecked  off  the  Florida  Keys. 
By  good  fortune  they  were  recovered  and  sent  back 


Family  Training.  149 

to  me — but  awfully  soaked  with  salt  water.  They, 
however,  enabled  me  to  judge  what  they  are.  *  * 
All  join  me  in  best  wishes. 

Your  friend, 

J.  B. 

John  W.  Audubon  and  Maria  R.  Bachman,  were 
united  in  marriage  in  1837.  They  joined  the  rest  of 
the  Audubon  family  in  New  York,  and  in  August 
sailed  in  a  packet  ship,  bound  for  Liverpool.  It 
was  only  after  a  long  and  tedious  voyage,  that  they 
reached  their  destination. 

This  first  break  in  the  Pastor's  family  circle  weighed 
heavily  on  the  parents'  hearts.  Bachman  wrote  to 
Audubon,  "  I  have  looked  forward  to  this  event 
very  much  as  a  man  does  to  a  funeral."  Rapid 
ocean  transit,  the  cablegram,  etc.,  have  now  brought 
the  land  beyond  the  Atlantic  comparatively  near  to 
us.  Fifty  years  ago  it  was  far  different. 

We  have  had  already  glimpses  into  the  parson- 
age. Maria,  the  eldest  daughter,  at  the  time  of  her 
marriage  was  twenty  years  of  age,  and  Eliza,  the 
second  daughter,  nearly  nineteen.  There  were? 
besides,  five  younger  daughters  and  two  sons — in  all, 
nine  living — and  five  in  God's  acre. 

The  pastor  of  St.  John's  believed  in  faithful, 
early  training  and  instruction — yet,  there  were  few 
rules  for  family  government.  One  we  remember — 
no  child  absent  from  morning  prayers  without  an 
excellent  reason,  was  permitted  to  sit  at  the  large 
breakfast-table — the  culprit  had  a  seat  assigned  at  a 
little  side-table.  By  a  singular  accident,  however,  if 


150  John  Bachman. 

it  were  an  accident,  when  a  child  was  late  at  prayers, 
the  study  door  was  left  a  little  ajar,  and  the  lazy 
little  sinner  often  slipped  in  softly,  and  knelt  at 
mother's  or  father's  side,  knowing  well,  that  if  the 
"  Amen  "  had  not  been  said,  all  was  safe — the 
morning  kiss  was  still  secure,  and  the  hated  seat  at 
the  side-table  left  vacant.  Father,  with  a  twinkle  in 
his  eye,  would  say,  "  Escaped  by  the  skin  of  your 
teeth."  Later,  mother  gave  her  gentle  admonition, 
"  Child,  did  you  remember  when  you  were  lying  in 
bed  this  morning,  that  your  father  was  up  and  hard 
at  work  ? — don't  be  late  again."  Who  could  resist 
such  an  appeal  ?  Father  would  take  the  children 
to  his  bee-hives  and  repeat  to  them  from  "  Watts' 
Songs, 

"How  doth  the  little  busy  bee, 
Improve  each  shining  hour." 

He  would  tell  the  interested  group,  how  the  lazy 
drones  were  stung  to  death  by  the  busy  working- 
bees,  and  show  us  how  the  instinct  of  animals 
amounted  almost  to  reason.  When  the  children 
asked  if  the  working-bees  were  not  excessively  cruel, 
he  would  smile  and  quote :  "  If  a  man  will  not  work 
neither  shall  he  eat,"  and  counsel  the  little  people  to 
take  the  busy  ant  and  not  the  lazy  drone,  as  a 
model. 

In  the  flower  garden  there  were  two  large  aviaries 
connected  by  a  covered  way.  A  daughter  remem- 
bers that  when  she  was  a  little  child,  something  had 
sorely  ruffled  her  temper ;  her  father  snatched  her 


The  Home.  151 

up  in  his  arms  and  carried  her  to  the  aviary.  The 
gentle  birds  answered  his  call ;  but  the  Pouter- 
pigeons  extended  their  breasts,  and,  with  sullen 
notes,  strutted  about.  A  little  story  followed,  that 
interested  the  child,  and  made  her  feel  greatly 
ashamed  of  her  ill  temper.  Many  such  lessons  he 
gave  to  the  children  in  a  series  of  stories,  that 
appeared  later  in  one  of  the  religious  journals. 

He  was  the  chief  promoter  of  fun  and  frolic 
among  the  children  ;  often  he  would  come  home  at 
twilight,  and  before  the  lamps  were  lighted,  call  to 
the  eager  little  people  to  join  him  in  a  Deer  Hunt. 

He,  as  the  swift  old  buck,  took  the  lead  in  some- 
what leap-frog  fashion,  and  the  children  who  repre- 
sented the  pack  of  hounds,  followed  in  close  pursuit. 
Before  long,  the  tired  deer  wa£  brought  to  bay  by 
one  of  the  hounds  jumping  nimbly  on  his  back  ; 
then,  above  the  din,  a  hunter's  horn  would  be  heard, 
to  announce  that  the  merry  chase  was  at  an  end. 

This  was  the  home  so  dear  to  the  Pastor  of  St. 
John's. 

TO  HIS  SON-IN-LAW,  JOHN  W.  AuDUBON,  IN  LONDON. 

CHARLESTON,  August,  1837. 

My  dear  John  :  I  suppose  that  by  this  time  you 
are  hard  at  work  doing  something  to  keep  want 
from  the  home  ;  and  this,  they  say,  will  keep  the 
little  "God  of  Love"  from  flying  out  of  the  window. 
Maria,  I  am  sure,  will  be  prudent  and  industrious. 
Her  education  and  habits  are  such  as  will,  I  think, 
render  her  an  assistant,  as  well  as  a  blessing,  to  you. 
A  part  of  my  boy  W's  prayer  every  night  is,  that 


152  John  Bacliman. 

the  Packet  in  which  sister  Maria  sailed  might  arrive 
safe.  Say  to  your  brother  Victor,  that  I  thank  him 
for  his  letter,  and  will  answer  it  soon.  By  this  time, 
Maria  may  have  seen  half  of  London.  We  expect 
to  hear  all  about  it  soon. 

Yours  affectionately,  J.  B. 

CHARLESTON,  August  16th,  1837. 
My  dear  Audubon — Although  you  wrote  me  a 
long  letter  before  you  left  New  York,  yet  I  did  not 
receive  it  until  last  Sunday.  I  call  it  a  good 
letter,  because  it  was  not  a  few  lines  written  in  haste ; 
but  a  careful,  thoughtful  letter.  My  family  have 
been  writing  by  every  packet;  but,  if  we  are  to  judge 
from  the  letters  we  receive  from  England,  they  are 
likely  to  be  very  irregular  and  long  on  the  way.  * 

•  I  flatter  myself,  that  by  this  time  you  are  all  safe 
in  England ;  usefully  employed,  and  therefore 
happy.  Since  you  left  us,  there  has  been  a  dulness 
and  lethargy,  as  if  something  were  wanting.  We 
are  trying  to  fill  up  the  time:  Eliza  and  sister 
Maria  are  studying  German.  Botany  has  been  com- 
menced by  all  the  girls,  and  they  are  devoting  more 
time  to  music  than  formerly 

I  have  been  intolerably  lazy  since  you  left  us,  con- 
fining myself  entirely  to  my  parochial  duties,  and 
scarcely  doing  anything  else — seldom  even  writing 
a  letter.  I  have  put  up  ftfr  you  a  few  birds  in  rum. 
Your  list,  alas !  cannot  be  filled  here ;  but  I  will  do 
what  I  can  *  By  the  way,  Judge  Lee 

has  just  informed  me  of  a  fact  which  agrees  with 
my  theory,  that  Buzzards  obtain  their  prey  by 
sight,  not  by  scent.  In  the  upper  part  of  this  State, 
a  hog  had  fallen  and  died  under  the  edge  of  a  bank ; 
the  stench  was  so  great,  that  it  nearly  drove  the 
visitors  from  their  boarding  house ;  and  yet  the 
Buzzards'  noses  were  not  keen  enough  to  find  it  out. 


The  Home.  153 

My  application  to  the  Matanzas  has  been  success- 
ful— a  gentleman  went  forty  miles,  and  procured 
the  nest  and  two  fresh  eggs  of  the  Flamingo.  The 
eggs  are  white,  the  size  of  that  of  the  goose.  I  shall 
send  one  of  them  to  you,  and  the  other  to  friend 
Brewer.  I  have  a  pair  of  young  ones  on  the  way, 
in  order  to  ascertain  the  time  required  to  bring  the 
bird  to  full  plumage. 

My  good  A\Tife's  health  has  failed  somewhat,  since 
you  left  us — I  trust  that  it  is  only  temporary  ;  the  rest 
are  quite  well.  I  must  say,  that  the  children  are 
obedient,  and  very  studious.  Eliza  is  drawing,  and 
devouring  French  Books. 

I  am  multiplying  pigeons  of  various  kinds  ;  they 
now  amount  to  nearly  one  hundred.  Our  love  and 
best  respects  to  Mrs.  Audubon,  and  love  to  John  and 
Maria. 

Your  friend,  J.  B. 

To  Mrs.  BACHMAN  : 

BALTIMORE,  May  25th,  1837. 

My  Dear  Harriet :  Although  I  only  wrote  this 
morning — on  board  of  the  steamboat ;  }^et,  as  I  shall 
probably  have  but  little  time  for  some  days  to  come, 
I  write  you  again  while  I  am  resting  from  the 
fatigues  of  a  very  unpleasant  day.  I  shall  just  go 
on  at  random,  and  write  down  any  thing  that  may 
occur  to  me,  that  may,  perhaps,  amuse  you  ;  trying 
to  avoid  a  repetition  of  what  I  have  said  this  morn- 
ing. 

In  going  to  a  new  place,  or  to  any  old  one,  which 
we  have  almost  forgotten,  a  thousand  new  thoughts 
come  into  the  mind,  and  we  are  able  to  draw  com- 
parisons, and  are  furnished  with  facts  for  specula- 
tions and  theories.  But  I  did  not  intend  to  moral- 
ize, only  to  have  a  good-natured  chat.  *  *  *  * 


154  John  Bachman. 

The  morning  after  my  arrival  in  Philadelphia  I 
was  curious  to  know  how  the  old  Philadelphia 
Market  looked ;  I  had  always  pronounced  it  to 
be  the  best  in  the  little  world  that  I  had  seen.  So  I 
rose  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  as  I  have  inva- 
riably done  since  I  left  home,  to  saunter  by  myself 
and  make  observations.  *  *  *  There  have  been 
alterations  in  the  arrangement  of  the  market  houses ; 
they  have  been  broken  in  upon  by  big  streets,  and 
no  longer  present  the  continuous  line  that  they  once 
did — as  if  stretching  from  the  Delaware  to  the 
Schuylkill.  *  *  * 

I  was  forcibly  reminded  of  old  scenes  of  twenty- 
three  years  ago.  There  stood  the  identical  one- 
horse  carts,  filled  with  churns  of  milk,  eggs,  butter, 
chickens  and  vegetables.  The  old,  fat,  huckster- 
ing, independent,  sturdy  dames  looking  out  keenly 
for  the  pennies ;  ready  to  drive  a  cart  or  a  bar- 
gain— and  having  at  all  times  a  Roland  for  an 
Oliver — they  had  neither  grown  older,  nor  uglier, 
nor  more  refined.  I  suppose  that  they  are  the 
daughters  of  the  old  stock,  for  I  did  not  stop  to  trace 
pedigrees.  They  had  the  same  keen,  careless  look, 
and  had  no  doubt  the  same  minds  and  souls  of  their 
mothers,  now  gone  down  to  the  dust,  and,  whether 
it  was  the  old  or  the  young  Rip  Van  Winkle,  the 
features  were  so  alike,  that  they  appeared  the  same 
to  me.  I  priced  some  bunches  of  radishes,  the 
answer  was  :  "  A  bunch  for  a  fip,  and  a  levy  and  a 
fip  for  four  bunches."  The  markets  have  greatly 
risen  in  price.  Fish  were  fine  and  abundant.  For 
the  first  time,  south  of  Boston,  I  saw  several  enor- 
mous Halibuts — a  fish  which  Maria  will  recollect. 
The  old  fish- women  had  the  old  rudeness,  slang  and 
impudence  ;  and  very  ugly  words  were  dealt  out 
upon  rival  hucksters. 

I  tried  to  remember  to  keep  for  you  the  bill  of 


Visit  to  Philadelphia.  155 

fare,  placed  before  every  little  group  at  the  dinner 
table  of  the  "  Marshall  House.'7  When  there  is  a 
company  of  a  couple  of  hundred  persons,  a  great 
variety  of  dishes  may  be  furnished  at  no  material 
additional  expense.  We  never  had  a  dinner  with- 
out fried  frogs — I  forgot  to  taste  them — the  ladies 
say  they  are  great  delicacies.  Lobsters  are  abun- 
dant— in  this  they  are  before  us. 

The  fashion  of  bolting  down  food  is  a  striking 
characteristic  of  our  nation.  You  sometimes  cast 
a  slur  upon  me  for  my  propensities  in  this  way; 
but  I  can  assure  you,  nine-tenths  of  these  gentle- 
men can  give  me  a  long  start  and  beat  me. 
I  had  a  fancy  for  lobster  for  dinner  on  the  steam- 
boat, to-day,  so  had  the  lady  sitting  beside  me, 
but  my  neighbor  on  the  other  side,  as  he  took  his 
seat,  quietly  broke  off  two  enormous  claws  of  a 
lobster  near  him,  and  laid  them  beside  his  plate, 
others  followed  suit,  and  when  I  called  to  the  waiter 
to  furnish  us,  his  answer  was:  "  There  is  none  left;" 
all  this  while,  my  philosophic  neighbor  had  enough 
beside  him  to  give  dyspepsia  to  an  alligator.  He 
seemed  to  go  on  the  old  principle  :  "  Every  man  for 
himself"  and  even  a  lady's  desires  could  not  move 
him.  There  is  considerable  improvement  in  the 
breeding  of  colts  and  horned  cattle  in  this  country, 
and  I  am  sometimes  under  an  impression  that  it 
might  be  well  to  extend  the  advantages  of  this  kind 
of  culture  to  the  higher  animals. 

I  have  not,  as  yet,  had  very  favorable  specimens 
of  fine  weather.  The  Spring  is  cold  and  backward, 
still  there  is  a  bright  green  and  richness  in  vegeta- 
tion, that  is  peculiarly  pleasant  to  me.  Tulips  are 
scarcely  out  of  flower,  and  Hyacinths  are  in  perfec- 
tion. I  confess,  to  my  shame,  I  did  not  go  to  see  a 
single  garden  in  Philadelphia,  nor  once  looked  at 
the  improvements  in  the  direction  of  the  Schuylkill ; 


156  John  Bachman. 

reserving  all  this  for  my  return  visit.  The  weather 
was  unpleasant.  Pickering  and  Peale  will  be  away 
soon,  and  I  spent  most  of  my  time  at  the  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences  and  the  Philosophical  Hall.  I 
found  Nuttall  friendly — after  all  there  is  as  much  in 
the  manner  of  men  to  attract  interest,  as  there  is  in 
the  spices  that  render  food  palatable.  In  the  Phil- 
osophical Hall,  I  frequently  took  a  seat  in  the  old 
chair  of  Dr.  Franklin  ;  I  could  not  avoid  thinking,  if 
knowledge  could  be  communicated  in  this  short 
way,  by  touch  or  sympathy,  what  a  world  of  Philos- 
ophers* Franklin's  old  chair  would  have  produced  ! 
I  was  invited  yesterday,  to  meet  old  General  Clarke, 
the  companion  of  Lewis.  He  is  now  very  aged  and 
in  failing  health  ;  he  is  on  a  visit  to  Philadelphia, 
accompanied  by  an  interesting  and  beautiful  family. 
I  was  quite  pleased  with  him.  He  is  intimately 
acquainted  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Audubon,  and  spoke 
in  raptures  of  her  talents,  and  his  beautiful  taste. 
He  seemed  to  retain  his  recollection  of  past  events 
in  a  remarkable  way.  Old  Dr.  Kurtz  and  his 
family  send  kind  regards.  Love  to  your  mother,  to 
the  children,  and  to  all  dear  friends.  J.  B. 

To  AUDUBON: 

CHARLESTON,  Nov.  7th,  1837. 

My  dear  Friend :  From  a  letter  which  Dr.  Wilson 
received  a  few  days  ago,  I  find  that  }^ou  are  troubled 
at  not  having  received  one  line  from  me.  However, 
by  this  time,  your  heart  is  at  ease,  as  my  two  former 
letters  ought,  in  all  fairness,  to  have  been  long  ago 
with  you.  Now  I  do  not  mind  the  frettings  of  old 
fellows  like  ourselves,  particularly  when  there  is  a 
good  wide  ocean  between  us — as  the  storm  subsides 
and  the  calm  comes,  they  sit  down  and  say,  "Why 
was  I  offended?" 

The  moment  your  letter  came  to  hand,  I  went 


Preparing  for  the  Synod.  157 

down  to  an  honest  Captain,  who  promised  to  spare 
no  pains  or  expense  to  procure  the  Flamingoes.  I 
think  that  we  shall  certainly  succeed ;  and,  in  good 
time,  the  Flamingoes  will  reach  you.  Sister  Maria 
found  your  drawing  of  the  Marsh -hen,  sent  it  in  a  tin 
box  through  Mr.  Berth aud,  with  the  egg  of  the 
Flamingo. 

Poor  Captain  Coste  lost  a  whole  barrel  of  birds 
in  rum,  overboard  in  a  gale.  He  brought,  however, 
safely,  another  containing  two  large  White  Herons — 
Louisiana  Herons,  several  Terns,  and  Florida 
Cormorants,  which  will  go  by  the  "  Nimrod,"  with  a 
couple  of  Red-headed  Vultures. 

This  moment,  daughter  Maria's  letter  arrived  ;  the 
girls  are  devouring  it,  and  I  shall  wait  awhile 
patiently  till  my  turn  comes. 

The  Synod  of  my  Church  is  about  to  meet. 
They  are  scouring  and  scrubbing  and  white-wash- 
ing. They  have  turned  me  out  of  the  Study  to  put 
it  to  rights  ;  and  have  put  my  books  and  papers  in 
elegant  confusion. 

Send  me  some  bird-lime,  I  want  to  replace  the 
birds  intended  for  Earl  Derby,  which  were,  lost  011 
the  passage.  If  you  can  conveniently  procure  three 
Pheasants  send  them — further  this  deponent  saith 
not,  *  *  *  * 

Sister  Maria,  says  she  commenced  a  letter  to  you 
to-day,  (I  have  my  doubts),  but  had  no  time  to 
finish  it ;  she  has  been  putting  up  curtains  and 
other  nick-nacks  to  accommodate  some  old  bachelor 
parsons,  who  will  soon  be  with  us  to  grace  our 
drawing-room.  Love  to  Mrs.  Audubon,  Maria  and 
John.  Good  night. 

J.  B. 


158  John  Bachman. 

To  EDWARD  HARRIS,  ESQ.,  MORRISTOWX,  N.  J. 
CHARLESTON,  December  12th,  1837. 

My  Dear  Sir  :  It  is  a  long  time  since  I  have  heard 
from  or  of  you,  and  I  am  induced  to  write  to  inquire 
how  you  are,  and  how  this  uncertain  world,  with  all 
its  changes  and  chances,  has  used  you  since  we  met. 

The  Audubons  I  hear  from  frequently ;  they 
write  once  a  week.  When  we  shall  see  them  again, 
is  somewhat  uncertain.  I  think,  however,  in  the 
course  of  eighteen  months. 

The  work  will  soon  be  completed,  and  I  feel  con- 
fident that  it  will  be,  on  the  subject  of  which  it 
treats,  the  best  in  the  world.  When  another  edition 
of  the  Letter-press  is  published,  I  wish  that  we  could 
persuade  Audubon  to  correct  the  mistakes  that  were 
unavoidable  in  his  previous  volumes,  and  the  book 
will  for  ages  remain  a  monument  to  his  industry 
and  establish  his  fame.* 

I  have  heard  that  you  intended  to  visit  the  South 
again  in  the  Spring. "  If  so,  surely  you  will  not  pass 
us  by  without  a  call.  I  shall  then  be  quite  at  leisure 
to  go  with  you  into  the  country.  The  old  range  is 
still  there  and  plenty  of  deer.  I  had  not,  for  a  long 
time,  taken  a  gun  into  my  hand,  till  a  few  days  ago. 

*In  the  notes  to  the  Letter-press,  Audubon  cheerfully  cor- 
rected the  unavoidable  errors. 

" Ibidem.  The  birds  represented  in  the  35th  plate  of  my 
large  work  (Audubon's  Bird's  of  America),  I  have  since 
found  to  be  the  young  of  the  Yellow  Poll  Warbler.  My 
friend,  Dr.  Bachman,  and  myself  discovered  the  error  soon 
after  the  publication  of  my  first  volume  on  Ornithology. 

u/6.  Plate  55.  I  most  willingly  acknowledge  the  error 
under  which  I  labored  for  many'  years,  in  believing  that 
this  species,  and  the  Sylvia  palmar um  of  "Bonaparte  "  are 
distinct  from  each  other.  To  the  sound  judgment  of  my 
friend,  John  Bachman  I  am  indebted,  for  convincing  me 
that  the  figure  given  by  the  Prince  of  Canino  is  that  of  our 
present  bird  at  a  different  period  of  life,  therefore  with 
different  plumage. ' ' 


A  Good  Shot.  359 

On  my  return  from  Aiken,  a  friend  met  me  at  the 
Eailroad,  insisted  on  my  spending  a  night  with  him. 
Nothing  loth,  I  concluded  to  do  so.  On  our  way  to 
his  house  we  took  a  deer-drive.  A  large  doe  came 
by  me  like  the  wind,  and  I  felt  sure  of  killing  her; 
but  my  borrowed  gun  snapt,  and  the  concussion 
made  the  animal  leap  ;  but  luckily  the  second  barrel 
brought  her  down.  I  thought  it  quite  an  exploit, 
circumstanced  as  I  was;  and  this  is  a  beginning  and 
end  of  all  in  that  line,  that  I  have  attempted  for  six 
months.  Come  to  us,  and  I  will  give  you  up  my  old 
sure  stands  where  you  can  kill  deer,  with  or  without  a 
dorj-gerel. 

In  Natural  History  I  work  by  fits  and  starts — at 
long  intervals,  as  inclination,  health  and  duties  per- 
mit. I  have  before  me  a  box  full  of  Rocky  Moun- 
tain Quadrupeds.  When  I  shall  have  time  to  de- 
scribe them,  I  know  not,  but  think  of  going  to  work 
in  a  day  or  two. 

In  the  meantime,  if  you  can  procure  for  me  half  a 
dozen  of  your  New  Jersey  squirrels,  stuffed,  you  will 
confer  a  favor  on  me.  This  Genus  I  have  found  in- 
tolerably troublesome,  and  when  I  have  finished  it,  I 
fear  that  others  will  have  to  correct  my  blunders. 
Should  you  be  in  New  Jersey  this  Spring,  you  will 
have  a  fine  chance  of  watching  the  warblers  on  their 
Northern  passage.  There  are  a  few  designated  by 
Wilson,  that  we  cannot  find  * 

My  family  all  beg  to  be  kindly  remembered  to 
you.  Yours  with  great  esteem,  J.  B. 

The  next  letter  tells  of  failing  health. 

To  AUDUBON. 

CHARLESTON,  October  2d,  1837. 
My  dear  friend — I  yesterday  received  your  very 
welcome  letter,  the  first  after  your  arrival  in  Lon- 
don, also  one  from  John  and  Maria.         *         *         * 


1GO  John  Bachman. 

I  hope  to  be  better  next  year,  but  this  Summer  I 
have  suffered  much  from  debility — have  strong 
doubts  whether  I  shall  ever  regain  my  strength. 
The  least  fatigue  puts  me  in  bed,  and  I  lose  my  in- 
dustry and  energy ;  if  I  am  alive,  I  shall  take  much 
exercise  on  horseback,  which  agrees  well  with  me. 

I  have  had  John's  old  gun  brushed  up  in  fine 
style,  I  tried  her  at  a  mark  several  times,  and  am 
astonished  at  the  precision  with  which  she  carries 
large  buckshot.  * 

I  have  done  nothing  this  Summer  in  Natural 
History,  but  have  been  trying  to  coax  back  my  lost 
health,  as  yet,  have  not  succeeded,  to  any  great  extent 
in  doing  so. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 

ARDUOUS  DUTIES — BROKEN  HEALTH — LETTER  TO  VESTRY  ASKING 
LEAVE  OF  ABSENCE— FAREWELL  SERMON — RECEPTION  AT  LON- 
DON BY  AUDUBON — DIAGNOSIS  OF  CASE  BY  EMINENT  LONDON 
PHYSICIANS — JOURNEY  TO  SCOTLAND  IN  COMPANY  WITH 
AUDUBON — JOURNAL  OF  EUROPEAN  TRAVEL — SWITZERLAND — 
DER  BODENSEE — LAKE  CONSTANCE — GERMANY — SOCIETY  OF 
NATURALISTS  AT  FREYBURG — BERLIN--HUMBOLDT— PARIS — 
RETURN  OF  UNFAVORABLE  SYMPTOMS— LONDON — VISIT  TO 
EARL  OF  DERBY — ELECTED  FOREIGN  CORRESPONDENT  OF 
ZOOLOGICAL  SOCIETY,  LONDON — LETTER  FROM  JOHN  E.  GRAY, 
(NATURALIST) — FAMILY  LETTERS— RETURN — DOUBLE  UNION 
BETWEEN  THE  FAMILIES  OF  BACHMAN  AND  AUDUBON. 

SHORT  excursions  into  the  country,  with  daily 
exercise  on   horseback,  partially   restored  the 
health  of  the  Pastor  of  "  St.  John's." 

During  the  Summer  and  Fall  of  this  year,  (1836), 
Strangers'  Fever  became  an  epidemic  in  Charleston, 
and  his  strength  was  taxed  to  the  utmost,  day  and 
night.  In  the  Winter  following,  a  destructive  fire 
swept  over  the  city,  leaving  many  of  his  flock  home- 
less and  in  poverty.  Full  of  active  sympathy,  he 
exerted  himself  far  beyond  his  strength,  in  collect- 
ing and  distributing  alms  to  the  most  destitute.  It 
was  said  of  him,  "  He  was  a  father  to  the  poor ;"  "and 
when  the  ear  heard  him  then  it  blessed  him"  But 


162  John  Bachman. 

the  spirit  was  stronger  than  the  body,  and  when  the 
warm  days  of  Spring  returned,  the  prostration  of 
strength  that  had  alarmed  his  friends  the  previous 
year,  returned  with  double  force.  His  Vestry  insist- 
ed that,  under  the  circumstances,  it  was  unwise  for 
him  to  cling  to  his  work.  His  physicians  prescribed 
a  long  sea- voyage  and  entire  rest  from  labors  too 
arduous  in  his  debilitated  condition. 

Audubon  urged  him  to  joinjiim  in  London,  where 
the  best  medical  advice  would  be  at  hand.  "  Come 
to  us"  he  wrote;  "  The  sight  of  our  happy  children, 
Maria  and  John,  will  do  you  more  good  than  all  the 
doctor's  medicine ;  and  my  old  darling  Lucy  (his  wife), 
is  a  great  nurse ;  drive  up  to  Oxford  street,  where  you 
will  find  a  warm  welcome" 

May  28th.  Dr.  Bachman  addressed  a  letter  to  the 
President  and  Vestry  of  St.  John's  Church  : 

"  I  deeply  lament  the  causes  which  have  led  to 
this  communication,  but  a  sense  of  duty  requires 
that  it  should  not  be  withheld. 

41  You  are  aware  of  the  decline  of  my  health,  and 
my  inability  to  perform  my  clerical  duties.  Believ- 
ing that  a  clergyman  should  withdraw  from  his 
charge  whenever  he  ceases  to  be  useful,  I  should  not 
hesitate  to  send  you  my  resignation  as  Pastor  of  the 
Church,  were  I  not  buoyed  up  by  my  physicians 
with  the  hope  that  I  may  yet  be  restored  to  useful- 
ness and  health.  They  have  all,  without  exception, 
recommended  a  long  sea-voyage.  I  have  been  in- 
formed that  you  are  also  favorable  to  these  views.  I 
have,  therefore,  after  mature  reflection  and  prayer, 
ventured  to  ask  you  to  permit  me  to  suspend  my 
labors  until  December  next." 


Letter  to  the  Vestry.  163 

He  suggested  two  plans  by  which  his  pulpit  might 
be  supplied  during  his  absence,  and  closes  thus: 

"  From  my  Vestry  and  Congregation  I  have  expe- 
rienced unceasing  acts  of  kindness  from  the  day  of 
my  arrival  among  you  ;  and  now,  in  the  time  of  de- 
bility and  declining  health,  your  sympathy  renders 
you  dearer  to  me  than  ever. 

"  I  came  to  you  a  young  man  ;  I  have  dwelt  in 
your  midst  for  more  than  twenty-three  years.  *  *  * 

'  That  Being  who  for  so  many  years  gave  me 
strength  to  perform,  almost  unremittingly,  the 
duties  of  my  calling,  now  has  seen  fit  to  visit  me 
with  pain  and  debility.  In  whatever  manner  God 
shall  order  my  lot,  I  shall  bear  with  me  to  foreign 
lands  and  through  life  the  remembrance  of  a  people 
who  have  aided  me  in  gratifying  my  desire  for  knowl- 
edge, and  in  the  promotion  of  benevolence  and 
religion. 

I  remain,  with  sentiments  of  respect  and  affection, 

Your  Pastor,  JOHN  BACHMAN. 

A  favorable  response  was  promptly  accorded  by 
the  Vestry  and  Congregation.  They  united  in  urg- 
ing him  to  hasten  the  preparations  necessary  for  so 
long  an  absence  from  his  home,  and  assisted  him, 
wherever  possible,  in  arranging  for  a  speedy  depart- 
ure. As  no  Lutheran  minister  was  available,  many 
of  the  ministers  of  other  Protestant  denominations, 
with  great  kindness  and  unanimity,  consented  to 
occupy  the  pulpit  of  St.  John's  alternately,  during 
the  absence  of  the  Pastor. 

On  the  3rd  of  June,  1838,  he  preached  his  fare- 
well sermon,  from  1st  Thessalonians,  v.  Chapter, 


164  John  Bachman. 

llth  to  13th   verses :  "  Wherefore   comfort   yourselves 
together  and  edify  one  another,  even  as  also  ye  do.1' 

The  afflicted  of  the  congregation  were  very  near 
the  heart  of  the  Pastor. 

41  The  poor  require  comforters,  the  sick  and  the 
afflicted  need  consolation.  Will  you  not  perform 
these  duties  for  your  absent  Pastor? 

Of  late  a  calamity  has  befallen  our  city,  perhaps 
greater  than  any  that  has  hitherto  visited  it,  and 
many  families  are  left  without  homes  and  in  poverty, 
with  only  the  sympathies  and  charities  of  the 
benevolent  to  help  them.  I  have  engaged  in  the 
work  of  ministry,  until  arrested  by  disease.  Alas, 
I  can  do  no  more !  I  leave  the  afflicted  of  this  Con- 
gregation with  you,  and  with  the  Father  of  the 
fatherless  and  the  widow's  God. 

I  carne  to  you  in  youth,  a  stranger,  and  now  for 
more  than  twenty-three  years  I  have  been  intimately 
associated  with  you  all.  I  have  enjoyed  a  large 
share  of  your  affection  and  friendship.  Though  the 
pleasant  memories  of  those  early  days  are  now 
darkened  by  declining  health  on  my  part,  and  on 
yours  by  clouds  of  sorrow — afflictions  which  have 
rested  heavily  upon  your  domestic  circles,  and  be- 
reaved me  of  a  multitude  of  my  flock,  yet,  the  place 
amid  whose  hallowed  scenes  I  am  lingering,  and 
whose  peaceful  shores  I  am  reluctant  to  leave,  is  en- 
shrined in  the  sanctuary  of  my  heart.  It  is  con- 
nected with  associations  that  are  imperishable.  It 
is  the  birth-place  of  the  brightest  of  my  hopes,  and 
the  scene  of  the  most  interesting  of  my  labors. 

My  friends,  I  have  served  you  long.  Whether 
these  labors  have  ministered  to  your  edification  and 
conviction,  and  to  your  comfort  and  refreshment,  I 
cannot  tell ;  nor,  is  it  needful  for  me  to  know.  I 
leave  the  result  of  my  ministrations  in  the  hands  of 


Farewdl  tiermon.  165 

that  Spirit  who  searcheth  all  hearts,  and  before 
whose  judgment-seat  all  secret  things  shall  be  re- 
vealed. But  to-day,  on  this  solemn,  and  perhaps, 
by  the  providence  of  God,  the  last  occasion  that  I 
am  permitted  to  address  you.  I  beseech  you  all,  by 
the  mercies  of  God,  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor, 
master  and  servant,  to  close  with  and  accept  the 
offers  of  the  Gospel.  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  He  may 
be  found,  call  ye  upon  Him  while  He  is  near."  "  Let 
the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts,  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  He  will 
have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our  God,  for  He  will 
abundantly  pardon.  *  * 

My  friends,  we  have  lived  long  together  in 
harmony  and  peace,  and  we  part  in  friendship  and 
affection.  Need  I  beseech  your  prayers  for  your 
absent  and  solitary  Pastor,  or  your  friendship  for 
those  whom  circumstances  command  him  to  leave 
to  your  care. 

For  all  past  kindness,  I  thank  you  ;  I  would  use  a 
more  expressive  word,  could  I  find  it. 

Conscious  am  I  of  many  imperfections.  Would 
that  I  had  performed  my  duty  to  you  better ;  yet,  if 
I  have  neglected  or  injured  any  of  you,  it  was  not 
from  design,  and  I  pray  your  forgiveness. 

I  have  come  to  you,  to  day,  with  a  body  weakened 
by  disease,  but  with  affections  as  warm  as  that  of  a 
father  or  a  brother. 

For  many  months  to  come,  others  will  break  to 
you  the  bread  of  life.  Should  any  think  that  the 
step  I  am  taking  looks  like  a  desertion  of  duty  on 
my  part,  I  would  say  that  I  have  never  left  you, 
but  in  obedience  to  the  calls  of  the  Church,  or  in 
ministering  to  the  comforts  of  my  aged  parents.  I 
have  stood  by  you  during  the  desolation  of  Fever 
and  Cholera.  I  have  performed  my  ministerial 
duties  even  when  exhausted  nature  admonished  me 


166  John  Bachman. 

that  rest  was  needful.  Now  I  part  from  you  only  when 
my  ministrations  would  be  of  little  service  to  you, 
and  with  the  cherished  hope  that  I  may  return  to 
you  under  happier  auspices,  to  labor  with  you,  and, 
if  it  please  God,  to  rest  with  you,  at  last,  in  your 
peaceful  sanctuary. 

Be  at  peace  among  yourselves,  and  may  the 
peace  of  God  abide  upon  you  all. 

Amen  and  farewell. 

The  long  sea-voyage  across  the  Atlantic  decidedly 
benefited  the  invalid,  and  when  the  vessel  reached 
Liverpool  he  stepped  on  shore  with  comparatively 
a  firm  step. 

Hastening  to  London,  he  drove  to  the  Audubons' 
home  late  in  the  evening.  He  was  dismayed  to  find 
the  door-knocker  tied  up,  and  the  moments  seemed 
like  hours  as  he  waited  for  admittance.  Audubon 
opened  the  door  himself,  and  instantly  explained  the 
door-knocker  mystery — "God  bless  us!  Welcome 
friend  Bachman!  To-day,  our  daughter  Maria  has 
made  us  grandfathers.  The  little  Lucy  and  her 
mother  are  doing  bravely — to  bed  now,  old  fellow, 
to-morrow,  you  shall  see  them.'' 

Although  benefited  by  the  long  sea-voyage,  it 
soon  became  apparent  to  the  watchful  eyes  of  his 
friends,  that  he  needed  medical  treatment. 

Two  eminent  London  physicians,  Drs.  Benjamin 
Phillips  and  Robert  Carswell,  were  consulted.  We 
find  an  elaborate  opinion,  several  pages  in  length, 
describing  Dr.  Bach  man's  case. 

"  He  had  been  threatened,"  they  write,  "  With 
spinal  congestion,  the  result  of  chronic  rheuma- 


Scotland  and  the  Lakes.  167 

tism.     The  attack  of  cholera  and  the  remedies  used 
had  saved  him  from  spinal  congestion." 

New  scenes,  and  the  ministry  of  beloved  friends, 
in  addition  to  medical  skill  and  care,  soon  sufficiently 
restored  the  health  of  the  invalid,  to  permit  him  to 
undertake,  in  company  with  Audubon,  a  short  jour 
ney  to  Scotland. 

The  friends  travelled  leisurely  through  this 
picturesque  country.  They  visited  Edinburgh 
Castle,  Holyrood,  and  other  points  of  interest,  that 
the  wizard,  Walter  Scott,  the  friend  of  Audubon,  has 
made  familiar  to  many  readers.  They  found  stored 
up  in  the  libraries  and  museums  vast  funds  of 
information  and  entertainment;  but  Audubon 
wisely  drew  his  friend  away  for  a  time,  from  these 
too  fatiguing  and  exciting  attractions,  to  the  lovely 
Lake  region.  Here  almost  as  free  as  the  birds,  they 
lingered  awhile,  before  presenting  their  letters  of 
introduction,  that  would  open  to  them  noble  and 
hospitable  homes.  A  few  weeks  later,  Audubon  was 
spreading  before  delighted  eyes  his  life-like,  full-sized 
paintings  of  American  Birds.  The  enthusiasm  of 
the  friends  in  Natural  History,  their  general  infor- 
mation and  genial  manners,  attracted  favorable 
attention.  Many  pleasant  acquaintances  were 
made,  and  some  firm  friendships  formed,  while  in 
Scotland. 

The  intelligence  of  the  people,  the  interest  taken 
in  Natural  History,  the  admiration  called  forth  by 
his  first  Volume  of  American  Birds,  and  the  facili- 
ties offered  for  the  publication  of  his  great  work,  de- 


168  John  Bachman. 

cided  Audubon  to  remove  his  residence   from  Lon- 
don to  Edinburgh. 

The  tour  through  a  healthful,  interesting  and 
romantic  country,  with  such  a  companion,  did  much 
to  restore  Dr.  Bachman  to  his  wonted  health  of  body 
and  spirit.  On  his  return  to  London,  his  physicians 
and  friends  confidently  predicted  a  permanent,  if 
not  speedy,  restoration  to  perfect  health. 

A  large  folio  volume,  ''Journal  of  European  Travel" 
carefully  expanded  from  notes,  and  illustrated  by 
roughly  drawn  sketches,  was  a  memorial  of  his 
habit  of  close  observation,  and  his  industry  in  re- 
cording the  same.  The  book  would  have  given  us 
interesting  facts  and  valuable  personal  reminiscences 
in  connection  with  this  period  of  his  life.  Unhap- 
pily, during  the  late  war  between  the  States,  this 
volume  shared  the  fate  of  the  rest  of  his  valuable 
library.  He  had  sent  his  books  from  Charleston 
to  Columbia  for  safety,  and  when  the  latter  city  was 
burned,  the  flames  did  not  spare  his  many  rare 
volumes.  Nothing  remains  to  us  of  the  "Journal  of 
European  Travel,"  but  the  brief  pencilled  sheets 
from  which  the  Journal  was  expanded.  These,  how- 
ever, give  us  glimpses  into  his  red-letter  days — days 
full  of  intellectual  pleasure  and  profit.  The  animals, 
birds,  fishes,  insects  and  flora  of  the  old  world,  were 
all  new  to  him,  save  in  books.  As  he  visits  halls  of 
learning  and  eleemosynary  institutions,  as  he  listens 
spell-bound  to  grand  sacred  music,  and  as  he  ex- 
plores the  Art  Galleries  containing  the  master-pieces 
of  the  old  artists,  his  soul  is  stirred  within  him. 


Switzerland.  169 

Voices  of  strange  melody  reach  and  touch  his  heart, 
the  echoes  of  which  are  to  linger  in  his  memory  dur- 
ing his  long  and  checkered  life. 

From  his  Pencilled  Notes. 

LAKE  CONSTANCE. 

We  had  been  winding  among  the  hills  for  some 
hours,  now  ascending  slowly  a  mountain,  and  then 
descending  with  locked  wheels  into  the  valleys, 
and  now  passing  groves  of  fir  and  of  birch,  that 
seemed  to  have  their  roots  in  the  shelving  rocks  and 
to  cling  to  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  when,  sud- 
denly, upon  descending  a  hill,  a  lovely  scene  met 
my  eye.  For  some  moments  I  gazed  without  utter- 
ing a  word.  Before  me  lay  a  village  with  red-cov- 
ered roofs  and  four  or  five  spires,  nestling,  as  it  were, 
on  the  bosom  of  a  smooth  and  romantic  lake. 

The  hill-sides  on  my  right  were  covered  with 
vineyards — the  vines  ladened  with  nearly  ripe  clus- 
tering fruit.  The  gently  rising  hills  on  the  left, 
were  studded  with  white  cottages,  surrounded  by  a 
variety  of  fruit-trees.  The  lake  extended  for  many 
miles,  and  mountain  upon  mountain  rose  from  its 
bosom.  The  nearest  to  us  was  covered  with  green 
foliage;  the  more  distant  appeared  blue,  and  the 
farthest  off  seemed  to  rise  among  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  and  were  covered,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  with  snow. 

The  passengers  exclaimed,  "  Der  Bodensee"  Here 
then  was  Lake  Constance,  presenting  a  scene  of  gran- 
deur and  loveliness,  that  no  lover  of  Nature  could 
witness  without  feeling  entranced.  The  sun  is  just 
setting  as  I  write  these  notes,  and  the  very  heavens 
seem  to  be  in  unison  with  the  scene.  The  clouds, 
on  a  blue  ground,  have  a  rich  and  ruddy  hue,  and 


170  John  Bachman. 

the  outer  edges  are  wreathed  with  silver.  The 
houses  situated  on  the  very  banks,  cast  their  images 
on  the  almost  unbroken  mirror  before  me.  The 
only  bird  that  is  flitting  over  the  lake  is  the  Euro- 
pean "  Stormy  Petrel."  The  representative  of  a 
storm  seems  out  of  place  on  this  lovely,  placid  lake. 

I  looked  behind  me ;  how  different  the  scene  ! 
Dark  and  murky  clouds  are  hanging  over  the  snow- 
clad  Alps,  and  the  setting  sun  renders  the  wintry 
scene  more  desolate.  Fogs  from  the  thawing  of 
the  ice  arise  from  the  valleys,  and  the  rugged  rocks 
seem  to  extend  their  arms  to  protect  the  stunted 
plants  that  are  growing  in  their  crevices.  Now,  as 
we  enter  the  little  harbor  of  Constance,  the  sun  is 
casting  his  last  shadows  on  the  lake.  The  boat  is 
moving  slowly.  The  sun  seems  to  set  almost  behind 
the  waters,  rising  and  sinking  at  the  moment  of  his 
departure,  and  leaving  a  golden  stream  on  the  edges 
of  the  neighboring  cloud,  reminding  me  of  the  last 
hours  of  a  just  man's  life — calmly,  as  the  setting- 
sun,  his  day  closes,  and  the  bright  light  of  his  ex- 
ample is  left  to  edify  and  to  gladden  the  world.  For 
half  an  hour  after  sunset,  the  golden  hue  lingered 
on  the  waters.  It  softened  and  faded,  and  ray  after 
ray  so  imperceptibly  left  the  unruffled  wave,  that 
my  meditations  were  only  broken  off  by  the  land- 
ing of  the  boat,  which  reminded  me  that  darkness 
had  set  in. 

Freyburg,  September  ISth  :  Presented  myself  yes- 
terday afternoon  before  the  Zoological  Department 
of  the  Society  of  Naturalists,  at  Freyburg. 

A  great  crowd  hastening  to  this  meeting 
thronged  the  doors.  The  members  with  some  diffi- 
culty effected  an  entrance. 

The  applicant  for  membership  must  prove  that 
he  has  published  something  in  Natural  History. 

My  German  friends  had  preceded  me  and  notified 


With  Naturalists  at  Freyburg.  171 

the  Society  of  my  intended  visit,  and  I  was  received 
with  great  kindness, 

The  largest  hall  in  Freyburg  had  been  elegantly 
decorated  for  the  occasion.  Five  hundred  members 
were  present. 

The  ladies  were  accommodated  in  the  gallery,  and 
the  other  visitors  had  a  place  assigned  them  on  the 
ground-floor.  It  was  a  very  orderly  meeting. 

First,  a  long  report  was  read  by  the  Secretary  in 
German,  followed  by  a  lengthy  Eulogy  on  a  de- 
ceased Officer  of  the  Society.  Then  several  Essays 
were  read,  viz :  "The  Structure  of  the  Earth ;  "  "  Water 
Falls ;  "  with  illustrations,  etc.  I  was  most  pleased 
with  one  from  Professor  Martin,  of  Munich,  on  "The 
American  Indian,"  intending  to  prove  that  the 
mounds,  and  especially  the  traces  of  fortifications 
and  architecture  found  in  Mexico  and  South 
America,  gave  evidence  that  they  were  the  work  of 
a  different  people  and  a  former  age.  It  was  a  sensi- 
ble production  and  remarkably  well  delivered. 

A  band  of  music  from  Berne,  consisting  of  forty 
musicians,  played  during  the  dinner,  which  lasted 
from  one  P.  M.,  to  four  in  the  afternoon.  The  din- 
ner was  excellent — the  best  that  the  country  could 
afford ;  but  it  lasted  entirely  too  long  for  me.  Toasts 
were  drunk,  first  to  the  Grand  Duke,  and  then  to 
the  German  Naturalists.  A  short  speech  evidently, 
prepared  before  hand,  preceded  the  toast,  at  the 
close  of  which  all  rose,  and  the  "Lebe  hoch"  (long 
live)  was  repeated  three  times,  with  great  enthusi- 
-asm. 

The  dinner,  including  wine,  cost  each  member 
the  small  sum  of  seventy -five  cents — a  vast  difference 
on  similar  occasions,  in  England  and  America. 
After  dinner,  the  Naturalists  took  a  recess  of  an.  hour 
or  two.  Repairing  to  a  mountain  on  the  borders  of 
the  city,  we  ascended,  by  tortuous  windings,  till  we 


172  John  Bachman. 

gained  the  summit.  The  scene  was  picturesque,  as 
group  after  group — to  the  number  of  a  thousand, 
were  seen  winding  their  way  around  the  mountain. 
All  appeared  to  be  gay  and  happy. 

On  the  eve  of  his  departure  from  Freyburg,  Dr. 
Bachman  sent  a  communication  to  this  Society,  a 
fragment  of  which  has  been  preserved.  It  reads  thus: 

In  the  course  of  a  tour  through  Europe  for  the 
benefit  of  health,  I  was  so  fortunate,  as  unexpectedly 
to  have  been  with  you  at  your  interesting  anniver- 
sary meeting. 

In  compliance  with  the  wishes  of  the  members  of 
your  Society,  and  with  the  desire  to  draw  the  Nat- 
uralists of  both  countries  into  a  closer  bond  of  union, 
I  consented  to  lay  before  your  Association  an  ac- 
count of  the  progress,  and  the  present  state  of  Natural 
Sciences  in  the  United  States.  I  intended  to  make 
only  a  verbal  statement,  as  well  as  I  was  able,  in 
your  own  language.  I  find  now  that  my  limited 
time  compels  me,  before  the  next  meeting  of  your 
Society,  reluctantly  to  leave  this  delightful  retreat 
of  men  of  science  of  Germany  and  Europe. 

Permit  me  to  express  to  you  the  profound  emo- 
tions of  pleasure,  with  which  I  witnessed,. for  the 
first,  and  probably,  the  last  time  in  my  life,  so  large 
a  meeting  of  eminent  men,  who  were  laboriously  en- 
gaged in  the  cause  of  science.  I  felt  it  a  privilege, 
even  for  a  day,  to  sit  down  with  those  who  were  in- 
vestigating the  wonderful  works  of  nature's  God. 
How  delightful  to  me  was  the  change,  from  the  perils 
and  solitude  of  a  long  sea  voyage,  to  your  romantic 
hills  and  beautiful  Himmelrich. 

In  a  letter  from  his  friend,  John  G.  Morris,  D.  D.f 
dated  a  few  months  later,  we  find  the  following : 


Humboldt.  173 

"I  received  your  letter  per  Great  Western,  and 
thought  that  you  would  not  object  to  an  insertion  of 
a  part  of  your  letter  in  The  Lutheran  Observer,  with- 
out your  signature. 

I  have  been  asked  several  times  who  at  the  Natu- 
ralists Reunion  was  the  one  poor  representative  from 
the  United  States? 

"One  of  the  City  papers  (Baltimore),  says  in  a  short 
notice  of  that  meeting,  "The  United  States,"  were 
represented  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bachman,  of  Charleston, 
S.  C.j  the  first  Ornithologist  in  this  country." 

J.  G.  M. 

The  land  of  Luther  had  its  special  attractions 
for  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's.  He  regarded  each 
scene  connected  with  the  successful  labors  and  con- 
flicts of  the  Chief  Reformer,  with  keen  and  almost 
sacred  interest,  and  the  healthful  life  of  its  people, 
in  communion  with  Nature,  was  congenial  to  his 
simple  taste. 

Arriving  at  Berlin,  he  found  a  great  pleasure 
awaiting  him,  for  Humboldt  was  there.  Dr.  Bach- 
man  fells  us,  "  I  was  a  youth  of  sixteen,  when  Hum- 
boldt visited  America.  Wilson,  the  Ornithologist, 
procured  for  me  an  invitation  to  be  present  at  a 
reception  given  in  Philadelphia  to  this  eminent 
philosopher  and  naturalist.  During  my  stay  there, 
I  saw  him  every  day.  Before  leaving,  he  inserted 
in  his  note-book  the  names  of  his  acquaintances  in 
Philadelphia,  and,  to  my  surprise,  mine  was  in- 
cluded on  the  list." 
8 


174  John  Bachman. 

In  1838,  Dr.  Bachman  gratefully  records,  "  Hum- 
boldt  was  the  first  to  receive  me  in  Berlin,  and  to  ex- 
tend to  me  civilities  that  made  me  feel  at  home 
among  the  men  of  science  in  the  Father-land." 

In  1809,  thirty-one  years  later,  at  the  request  of 
his  German  fellow-citizens,  in  Charleston,  he  de- 
livered the  address  commemorating  "  The  Centennial 
Anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Humboldt." 

Reluctantly  he  left  Germany  for  France.  While 
in  Paris  all  his  unfavorable  symptoms  returned  ;  the 
French  physicians  called  in,  took  a  less  hopeful,  and 
less  correct,  diagnosis  of  his  disease,  than  that  given 
by  the  English  practitioners.  Hastening  to  London, 
he  placed  himself  again  under  the  care  of  his  former 
physicians,  Drs.  Phillips  and  Cars  well,  and  slowly 
recuperated.  Happily,  congenial  recreation  and 
pleasurable  excitement  were  abundantly  provided 
for  him.  He  had  letters  of  introduction  to  the 
venerable  Earl  of  Derby  (grandfather  of  the  present 
Earl).  The  Earl  was  an  enthusiast  in  the  study  of 
Natural  History,  and  greatly  interested' in  America, 
as  a  new  field  opened  for  investigation.  He  had 
invited  Dr.  Bachman,  on  his  return  to  England,  to 
visit  him  at  his  beautiful  country-seat. 

As  soon  as  strength  permitted,  he  gladly  availed 
himself  of  the  privilege  accorded  him,  and  spent 
days  examining  the  Earl's  large  collection  of  animals 
and  birds,  both  living  arid  stuffed.  As  he  roamed 
through  extensive,  highly  cultivated  gardens,  and 
leisurely  studied  the  Flora  of  many  lands,  his  step 
became  more  elastic,  and  a  healthier  glow  began  to 


Visit  to  the  Earl  of  Derby.  175 

tinge  his  cheeks.     At  parting,  the  Earl  presented 
him  with  several  rare  books. 

While  in  London  he  received  the  thanks  of  the 
Zoological  Society  for  the  present  of  thirty-six  skins, 
(eighteen  Mammalia  and  eighteen  birds),  from  North 
America,  which  were  deposited  in  the  British 
Museum.  At  a  General  Meeting  of  the  Society,  held 
on  the  6th  of  December,  writes  the  Secretary,  John 
Barlow :  "  You  were  balloted  for  and  elected  as  a 
Foreign  Correspondent  of  the  Zoological  Society  of 
London." 

FROM  JOHN  EDWARD  GRAY, 

The  Eminent  Naturalist  in  Charge  of  the  British 
Museum. 

BRITISH  MUSEUM,  Nov.  1st,  1838. 

My  Dear  Sir:  I  have  sent  you  the  Volume 
promised.  I  hope  that  it  may  interest  you,  and 
furnish  you  with  a  little  information  respecting  the 
Continental  Collection.  Hoping  soon  to  see  more  of 
your  labors — as  it  is  to  you,  that  I  look  for  a  good 
account  of  the  American  Mammalia.  I  expect  soon 
to  print  my  synopsis  of  Mammalia,  and  will  send 
you  it  directly  it  appears,  but  I  consider  it  my  duty 
first  to  attend  to  the  wants  of  the  Collection  under 
my  charge,  so  it  may  be  delayed  sometime.  Wish- 
ing you  a  very  pleasant  voyage.  * 

J.  E.  GRAY. 

We  trace  the  movements  of  Dr.  Bachman  through 
the  following  letter  written  by  his  daughter  Eliza 
(afterwards  Mrs.  Victor  Audubon),  to  her  younger 


176  John  Bachman. 

sister,  Harriet  Eva,  who  was  then  on  a  visit  at  a 
plantation,  near  Charleston. 

December  llth,  1838. 

"Do  not  think,  my  dear  sister,  from  my  long  silence, 
that  I  did  not  appreciate  your  welcome' letter.  I  am 
in  debt  to  all  my  correspondents  ;  and,  when  I  tell 
you  that  my  dear  Ria,  (sister  Maria),  is  included 
among  the  number,  you  may  console  yourself.  The 
truth  is,  I  have  been  busy  and  felt  unsettled.  The 
drawing  and  dining  rooms,  have,  been  newly 
painted,  so  we  have  occupied  the  painting  room,  as  it 
has  long  been  called.  Although  the  appearance  of 
the  room  is  now  changed,  yet,  I  am  constantly  re- 
minded of  the  time  when  the  Auduboiis  were  here, 
and  when  I  spent  so  many  happ}7  days  with  our 
dear  Ria.  I  look  at  the  seats,  once  so  agreeably 
filled,  with  a  feeling  of  regret  that  those  who  occu- 
pied them  are  so  far  away  from  us. 

A  letter  has  just  been  received  irom  Ria,  written 
in  excellent  spirits;  but,  alas!  she  gives  us  little 
hope  that  we  shall  soon  see  her.  Mr.  Audubon's 
letter-press,  has  occupied  him  a  much  longer  time 
than  he  expected,  on  account  of  the  number  of  new 
birds  which  have  been  discovered,  and  he  now 
fears  that  those  delightful  episodes,  which  seemed  to 
give  universal  pleasure,  will  have  to  be  omitted 
from  want  of  space. 

Ria  writes  that  the  little  Lucy  already  weighs 
seventeen  pounds ;  she  will  soon,  at  that  rate,  be  a 
weight  to  carry. 

The  Audubons  are  delighted  with  Edinburgh. 
If  the  city  equals  the  descriptions  I  have  so  often 
read,  it  must,  both  in  point  of  natural  scenery  and 
agreeable  society,  be  far  superior  to  the  far-famed 
London,  with  all  its  bustle  and  humbug.  The  latter 


Return  from  Europe.  177 

may  better  suit  the  rich  and  the  gay,  but  for  those 
whose  circumstances  are  moderate,  and  whose 
pleasures  are  rational,  Edinburgh  must  be  far  pref- 
erable as  a  place  of  residence.  The  Audubons' 
house  is  delightfully  located  and  exceedingly  con- 
venient. 

We  are  now  looking,  with  the  greatest  anxiety,  for 
the  arrival  of  father;  the  last  few  weeks  have  seemed 
like  so  many  months.  Is  it  not  astonishing  how 
slowly  time  creeps  on,  when  we  have  pleasure  in 
prospect. 

Although  the  last  accounts  from  our  dear  father, 
are  not  very  encouraging,  yet  our  hope  is,  that  on 
his  return  to  us,  the  rest  and  the  quiet  of  home,  may 
do  much  toward  restoring  him  to  perfect  health. 
My  earnest  prayer  is,  that  he  may  regain  his  wonted 
strength  and  activity,  and  long  be  spared  to  us ;  for 
we  have  learned  from  sad  experience,  how  essential 
his  presence  is  to  our  happiness. 

Thursday  1 2th :  We  received  letters  from  father 
to-day,  which  give  more  encouragement  with  regard 
to  his  health.  He  was  to  sail  in  the  "America," 
which  is  dailv  expected  ***** 

M.  E.  B. 

After  an  absence  of  eight  months  from  America, 
Dr.  Bachman  reached  home  January,  1839. 

The  joy  of  family  and  flock,  at  his  return,  was  not 
without  alloy.  They  were  disappointed  to  find  his 
health  still  very  feeble.  The  congregation  proposed 
that  an  assistant  should  be  secured.  At  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mayer,  the  Rev.  William 
N.  Smith  was  engaged  by  the  congregation  of  St. 
John's  as  assistant  minister ;  and  for  several  years, 
he  rendered  acceptable  service. 


178  John  Bachman. 

During  the  year  1839,  Victor  G.  Audubon,  the 
eldest  son  of  Audubon,  arrived  in  America,  visited 
Charleston,  and  spent  months  in  Dr.  Bachman's 
home.  Before  the  close  of  his  visit,  he  became  en- 
gaged to  Mary  Eliza,  Dr.  Bachman's  second 
daughter. 

Friends  who  had  watched  from  childhood,  the 
strong  and  ever  increasing  bond  of  affection  between 
the  sisters,  rejoiced  that  they  were  to  live  again 
under  the  same  roof.  A  letter  from  Aububon  ex- 
pressed his  great  pleasure  at  this  second  union 
between  the  families.  Bachman's  reply  was  charac- 
teristic. 

Your  congratulations  at  this  double  union  in 
our  families  are  right  and  proper,  nor  ought  I  to  be 
so  selfish  as  to  wish  to  retain  my  children  around 
me  when  their  happiness  requires  a  removal ;  but 
somehow,  the  event  which  causes  you  so  much 
pleasure,  has  a  contrary  effect  on  me.  I  am  a  Phi- 
losopher in  most  things,  but  in  this  case  Nature  is 
too  strong  for  Philosophy.  The  girls  have  good 
husbands,  who,  I  am  sure,  will  take  care  of  them  ; 
but  to  me  the  parting  with  them  I  feel  to  be  a  very 
great  loss  ;  but  I  will  try  not  to  complain  about  it, 
unless  others  wish  me  a  joy  which  I  do  not  feel,  and 
which  I  would  be  a  hypocrite  to  acknowledge. 

I  was  glad  that  I  was  compelled  to  be  absent  when 
Eliza  left  me,  and  was  obliged  to  preach  in  the 
country  twice  a  day  for  a  fortnight,  >and  had  thus 
incessant  occupation,  without  too  much  time  for 
thought.  When  I  came  home,  however,  the  holidays 
had  scattered  the  rest  of  my  little  flock.  It  was  so 
lonely,  it  almost  gave  me  another  attack  of  dys- 
pepsia. But  let  us  talk  of  other  matters — of  your 


The  Quadrupeds.  179 

synopsis  for  the  "  Small  Edition  of  the  Birds"  The 
size  and  the  plates,  etc.,  please  me  very  much.  Your 
synopsis  is  the  best  I  have  seen,  though  that  is  not 
saying  very  much,  for  the  majority  I  think  bad.  I 
am  glad  that  you  have  given  us  this,  it  will  save 
you  much  trouble,  and  your  readers  much  per- 
plexity.  *********  By  the  time  four  or  five 
numbers  are  published,  you  may  turn  over  the  work 
to  your  sons;  but,  till  then,  you  should  carefully 
review  every  page  and  plate.  The  next  thing, 
will  be  to  get  subscribers.  This  would  be  pur- 
gatory to  me ;  but  it  is  necessary  for  success.  While 
drumming  up  subscribers,  you  may  obtain  speci- 
mens for  the  Quadrupeds.  These  creatures — the 
majority  of  them  nocturnal,  and  living  in  conceal- 
ment— are  not  so  easily  obtained  as  birds ;  but  there 
are  fewer  of  them,  every  species  is  abundant  in  some 
locality,  and  they  neither  migrate  nor  fly.  You 
cannot  do  without  me  when  you  come  to  the  ani- 
mals I  know  full  well — so  you  will  have  to  come 
and  pay  me  a  visit  soon.  *  : 

Love  to  my  daughters  and  sons,  *  *  *  *      J.  B. 

The  following  girlish  letter  is  from  Harriet  Eva 
to  her  newly  married  sister,  Eliza  (Mrs.  Victor  Au- 
dubon) : 

CHARLESTON,  February,  1838. 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  the  country. 
Last  year  when  I  came  home,  you  were  the  first  to 
greet  me.  I  cannot  realize  that  you  have  indeed 
left  us.  You  don't  know  how  we  all  miss  you. 
Father,  mother,  and  all,  are  continually  sounding 
your  praise.  *****.** 

We  are  sorry  to  hear  that  our  dear  Ria  has 
suffered  so  much.  She  has  not  written  to  us  since 
Christmas.  I  often  wish  that  I  could  take  a  peep 


180  John  Bachman. 

at  you  and  our  clear  Ria,  as  you  talk  over  the 
old  times.  I  want  to  see  little  Lucy.  Susan  R.  R. 
sends  her  love.  I  heard  her  say  to  her  aunt, 
Mrs.  R.,  that  you  played  on  the  guitar  and  sang  de- 
lightfully ;  and  that  Ria,  with  all  her  accomplish- 
ments, knitted  father's  socks.  Tell  Ria  the  shawl 
she  knitted  for  me  has  been  greatly  admired.  Write 
soon,  we  are  all  anxious  to  hear  from  you. 

Your  loving  sister,  HARRIET. 

To  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  September  13th,  1839. 

"I  congratulate  you  all  on  your  safe  arrival,  in 
spite  of  storms,  calms,  and  hurricane.  But  after 
this,  don't  speak  of  the  tardy  progress  of  Charleston 
Packets.  I  beat  you  both  ways,  and  had  pleasant 
passages  withal.  The  voyage  from  England  to 
America,  along  the  Northern  coast,  is  seldom  as 
pleasant,  and  never  much  shorter  than  the  Southern 
course,  especially  in  winter.  We  sailed  to  Latitude 
20°,  and  then  took  the  trade  winds,  and  it  reminded 
me  of  sailing  on  a  mill  pond — so  smooth  was  the 
water. 

I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  you  have  not  been  quite 
well ;  as  we  get  to  be  old  boys,  aches  and  pains  will 
come.  Let  us  both  agree  not  to  complain.  My 
health  has  greatly  improved,  and  my  family  are  all 
Well.  *  *  *  *"  * 

I  am  glad  that  you  are  about  to  do  something 
with  regard  to  the  "  Small  Edition  of  Birds."  But 
are  you  not  a  little  fast  in  issuing  your  prospectus 
of  The  Birds  and  Quadrupeds,  without  having  num- 
bers of  both  works,  by  which  the  public  can  judge 
of  their  merits?  My  idea,  in  regard  to  the  latter,  is 
that  you  should  carefully  get  up,  in  your  best  style, 
a  volume  about  the  size  of  "Holbrook's  Reptiles" 


Birds  and  Quadrupeds.  181 

This  would  enable  you  to  decide  on  the  terms  of  the 
book.  I  think  that  two  thousand  subscribers  at 
$1.00  for  each  number,  might  be  obtained.  But  it 
must  be  no  half-way  affair. 

The  animals  have  never  been  carefully  described, 
and  you  will  find  difficulties  at  every  step.  Books 
cannot  aid  you  much.  Long  journeys  will  have  to 
be  undertaken.  Several  species  remain  to  be  added, 
and  their  habits  ascertained.  The  drawings  you 
can  easily  make,  if  you  can  procure  the  specimens. 
I  wish  I  had  you  here,  if  for  only  two  days.  I  think 
that  I  have  studied  the  subject  more  than  you  have. 
You  will  be  bothered  with  the  Wolves  and  the  Foxes, 
to  begin  with.  I  have  two  new  species  of  Bats  and 
Shrews  to  add.  The  Western  Deer  are  no  joke  ;  and 
the  ever-varying  Squirrels  seem  sent  by  Satan  him- 
self, to  puzzle  the  Naturalists.  *  * 

Love  to  all.  It  will  be  a  terrible  disappointment 
to  us,  if  Maria,  John  and  the  little  Lucy  do  not  come 
to  Charleston  this  winter.  J.  B. 

January  13th,  1840. 

" I  think  that  your  " Birds  of  America"  will  be 
a  standard  work  for  centuries ;  ere  then,  we  will  be 
among  the  planets  studying  something  else.  The 
descriptions  in  the  "  Small  Edition  of  Birds,"  will 
have  to  be  abridged — }^our  "  worthy  friend "  and 
other  humbugs  may  be  left  out  to  advantage.  I 
am  not  at  all  surprised  at  your  success  in  getting 
subscribers;  but  let  me  say,  cities  are  not  the  only 
places  to  obtain  them.  Birds  sing  and  nestle  among 
the  groves  of  the  country — The  planters  and  farmers 
are  the  men  to  become  subscribers.  An  intelli- 
gent planter  from  the  up  country  said,  a  lew  days 
ago,  that  if  the  right  person  would  thoroughly 
canvass  the  whole  State  of  South  Carolina,  he  would 


182  John  Bachman. 

insure  three  hundred  subscribers  to  the  "Small 
Work."  Old  Jostle  would  be  the  man,  and  when 
his  legs  failed,  the  Young  Jostle  should  go  forward. 

Get  the  Editors  to  notice  your  work — this  is  a 
puffing  world — from  the  porpoise  to  the  steamboat. 

When  we  meet,  we  shall  talk  about  the  partner- 
ship in  the  quadrupeds.  I  am  willing  to  have  my 
name  stand  with  yours,  if  it  will  help  the  sale  of 
the  book.  The  expenses  and  the  profits  shall  be 
yours  or  the  boys.  I  am  anxious  to  do  something 
for  the  benefit  of  Victor  and  John,  in  addition  to  the 
treasures  I  have  given  them — and  this  is  all  I  can  do. 

Love  to  Maria.  Bring  her  to  us  before  the  Spring. 
This  lovely  climate  is  a  cure  for  sore  mouths  or  sore 
hearts.  Tell  dear  Eliza,  her  boy  William  is  study- 
ing a  Latin  Grammar,  and  perhaps  may  one  day  be 
able  to  write  his  thoughts  to  her  in  Latin — for  his 
penna,  pennw,  are  dinging  in  my  ears  morning  and 
night.  He  is  a  good  boy. 

Employ  yourself  now  in  drawing  every  quadruped 
you  can  lay  your  hands  upon.  If  you  can  find  me 
a  live  Ermine,  buy  it  in  New  York.  I  must  once 
more  examine  and  study  its  change  of  pilaye. 

Don't  flatter  yourself  that  the  quadrupeds  will  be 
child's  play.  I  have  studied  them  all  my  life.  We 
have  much,  both  in  Europe  and  America,  to  learn 
on  this  subject.  The  skulls  and  the  teeth  must  be 
studied,  and  color  is  as  variable  as  the  wind;  down, 
down  in  the  earth  they  grovel,  while  we,  in  digging 
and  studying,  may  grow  old  and  cross.  Our  work 
must  be  thorough.  I  would  as  soon  stick  my  name 
to  &  forged  Bank  Note  as  to  a  mess  of  Soupmaigre" 

Your  friend, 

J.  B. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
PASSING  UNDER  THE  ROD. 

FAMILY     LETTERS — MRS.    JACOB    MARTIN — DEATH     OF    HIS    DAUGH- 
TERS— THE   SECRET   OF    LARGE   SYMPATHY. 


E 


XTRACT  from  a  letter  written  by  Rev.  John  B. 
Haskell,  at  White  Hall,  S.  C,.  while  arranging  his 
grandfather's  letters  for  Biography. 


To  C.  L.  B. 

"  You  have  no  idea  what  a  mass  of  letters  I  have 
collected.  I  am  happy  in  my  work  wandering  in 
days  that  lived  ere  I  was  born,  and  drinking  in  the 
pure  spirit  of  my  noble  grandfather. 

"  In  prayerful  thought  my  heart  turns  to  the  old 
roof-tree,  under  which  so  many  of  our  blood  have 
shed  their  tears,  exchanged  their  smiles,  and  walked 
in  paths  of  duty  and  love.  Feet  so  still  and  quiet- 
resting  now ;  but  which,  one  day,  will  leap  up  in 
the  perpetual  youth  and  strength  of  eternal  life,  to 
walk  in  the  streets  by  the  River  of  Life,  and  to  dwell 
forever  in  the  City  of  Gold." 

Extracts  from  some  of  the  letters  alluded  to,  will 
be  found  in  the  chapters  that  follow. 

In  1839,  Dr.  Bachman's  fears  were  thoroughly 
aroused  with  regard  to  the  failing  health  of  his 
oldest  daughter,  Mrs.  John  Audubon.  The  Audu- 


184  John  Bachman. 

bons  had  returned  from  Scotland,  and  were  living 
in  New  York.  In  his  letters  to  his  son-in-law,  he 
deprecated  a  Northern  winter  for  the  invalid,  and 
urges  her  husband  to  bring  her  South. 

January,  1840,  they  arrived  in  Charleston.  The 
household  treasure,  the  father's  companion,  and  the 
mother's  right  hand,  was  restored  for  a  season  to 
the  home  of  her  childhood. 

Beloved  friends  welcomed  the  invalid,  and  skilled 
physicians  watched  over  her.  Her  husband  "  hoped 
against  hope  ;  "  but  the  practised  eye  of  her  father, 
could  not  be  deceived. 

A  German  author  has  said,  "  Every  man  in  the 
course  of  his  life  is  called  upon  to  offer  up  to  God 
his  Isaac."  This  call  had  now  come  to  the  Pastor  of 
St.  John's. 

To  VICTOR  G.  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  May  10th,  1840. 

My  Dear  Victor :  "I  am  very  sorry  that  I  have 
nothing  favorable  to  write  you  with  regard  to  Maria. 
I  was  at  her  bedside  a  few  moments  ago ;  her  pulse 
is  feebler.  * 

We  have  had  many  heavy  trials  of  late,  but  none 
equal  to  this.  I  have  had  philosophy,  and,  I  trust, 
religion,  to  stay  me  under  all  other  calamities  ;  but 
here  I  stand  unhappy  and  bewildered.  I  trust  that 
dear  Eliza  will  be  strengthened  to  bear  up  under 
this  visitation.  We  must  look  upwards  to  the 
Higher  Power — to  God  for  support ;  all  is  under  the 
direction  of  His  wisdom.  Maria's  health  had  seemed 
to  me  for  months  on  the  decline.  When  the 
physicians  advised  a  change  to  Aiken,  we  took  her 
there  and  cherished  a  hope  that  pure  air  might 


Illness  of  his  Daughter.  185 

benefit  her.  Yet  John's  favorable  reports  did  not 
satisfy  me;  for  he  has,  all  along,  seemed  almost 
blind"  to  her  true  condition.  I  went  up  to  see  for 
myself;  the  first  glance  told  me  that  she  was  much 
worse.  John  is  not  only  devoted,  but  he  is  the  best 
nurse  I  have  ever  known.  In  Aiken  she  was  with 
the  kindest  of  friends ;  but  she  longed  to  be  at  home, 
and  we  have  brought  her  back.  * 

Tell  Eliza  to  summon  all  her  fortitude  and  her 
trust  in  God.  Concealment  of  facts  leads  frequently 
to  deeper  and  more  poignant  sorrow  than  if  the 
whole  truth  had  been,  at  once,  revealed.  Maria's 
physicians  encourage  no  hope — and  we  are  but 
hoping  against  hope. 

Need  I  remind  her  husband,  parents  and  sisters, 
that  in  the  event  that  will  cloud  our  prospects  with 
deep  gloom  and  bitter  sorrows,  there  are  yet  conso- 
lations. Think  of  a  future  state.  Remember  her 
obedience,  kindness,  goodness,  and  above  all,  her 
faithfulness  in  serving  her  God. 

I  accompanied  your  father  yesterday  to  the 
funeral  of  our  friend,  Dr.  Rham.  How  melan- 
choly !  I  pity  his  absent  family  with  my  whole  heart. 

How  much  I  regret  that  the  situation  of  my  own 
family  on  his  arrival  was  such,  that  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  me  to  take  him  to  my  home,  as  I  had  in- 
tended. 

Mrs.  Martin  is  not  expected  to  survive  beyond  a 
day.  We  are  all  greatly  fatigued  ;  but  are  better  in 
health  than  could  be  expected,  under  present  pain- 
ful circumstances.  Affectionately,  your  father, 

J.  B. 
(Enclosed  in  the  same.) 

AUDUBON    TO    HIS    SON   VlCTOR. 

My  Dear  Victor:  John  Bach  man  has  told  all 
that  can  be  said  with  regard  to  our  beloved  Maria's 


186  John  Bachman. 

condition.  I  can  assure  you,  as  he  does  himself,  that 
this  last  week  has  been  one  of  deepest  sorrow.  I  go 
to  the  city — anywhere,  I  scarcely  seem  to  see  or  to 
care  for  any  one — and  the  return  home  only  aug- 
ments the  pains  of  my  poor  heart.  *  *  *  * 

Alas !  who  can  foresee  or  foretell !  In  a  few  days, 
my  fears  tell  me  that  we  shall  have  to  convey  to 
you  sad  tidings  ;  yet  I  still  hope  that  God  may  spare 
our  Maria. 

God  bless  you  all.  Take  care  of  Mama,  of  Eliza 
and  the  babe  (Harriet) ;  little  Lucy  is  well. 

Affectionately,  your  father, 

J.  J.  A. 

Mrs.  Jacob  Martin  (Mrs.  Bachman's  mother)  had 
been  for  years  an  honored  inmate  of  her  son-in-law's 
home.  Possessing  a  singularly  rounded  character, 
as  firm  as  she  was  gentle,  thoughtful,  yet  not  over- 
careful,  her  presence  exercised  a  wholesome  influ- 
ence in  her  daughter's  family.  In  fact,  the  Pastor  of 
St.  John's  rejoiced  that  the  children's  grandmothers 
should  both  dwell  under  his  roof.  It  was  good  for 
the  children,  from  infancy,  to  learn  the  joy  of  service 
to  those  who  had  not  too  many  joys  left  on  earth. 
The  Pastor's  own  reverent  bearing  to  the  aged 
mothers,  was  naturally  adopted  by  the  young  mem- 
bers of  his  family  ;  and  who  can  estimate  the  bless- 
ings that  flowed  into  the  current  of  these  young  lives, 
through  even  the  silent  teachings  of  these  dear,  aged 
saints.  The  unquestioning  submission  of  such  as 
these,  is  both  a  prayer  for  and  a  benediction  upon  a 
household.  His  own  mother  had  finished  her  long 
prilgrimage,  and  had  already  en tered"  the  life  where 


Death  in  the  Pastor's  Home.  187 

death  is  not,"  and  to-day,  Mrs.  Martin  is  passing 
through  "  the  valley  and  the  shadow  of  death." 

A  few  days  later,  the  mourners  laid  her  venerable 
form  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  of  St.  John's — to  await 
the  resurrection  morn. 

Mrs.  Audubon,  by  the  advice  of  her  attendant 
physicians,  was  not  informed  of  the  death  of  her 
aged  relative.  She  lingered  on  through  the  hot 
months  of  July  and  August.  Very  gently,  in  love, 
the  cords  that  bound  together  the  dying  and  the 
living  were  unloosed ;  the  Angel  of  Suffering,  did 
his  part  in  preparing  all  for  the  parting  hour. 

One  day  in  September,  the  sufferer  exclaimed, 
with  a  far-off  look  in  her  eyes,  "  I  see  Grandmother  ; 
she  is  in  heaven."  The  soul  of  the  dying  may  have 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  other  shore.  Then  with 
uplifted  eyes,  she  slowly  repeated : 

"  Vital  spark  of  heavenly  flame, 
Quit,  O  quit,  this  mortal  frame  ; 
The  world  recedes  ;  it  disappears. 
Heav'n  opens  on  my  eyes;  my  ears 
With  sounds  seraphic  ring, 
Lend,  lend  your  wings  ;  I  mount,  I  fly  : 
O,  grave  where  is  thy  victory  ? 
O,  death  where  is  thy  sting  ? 

A  few  days  later,  and  the  lips  that  had  praised 
her  Maker  from  childhood,  were  silent  in  death. 
The  record  is,  Maria  R.  Audubon,  beloved  daughter  of 
John  Bachman,  and  ivife  of  John  W.  Audubon,  died 
September  23rd,  1840,  aged  23. 

The  Pastor  of  St.  John's  entered  into  his  study, 
and  closed  the  door,  even  to  his  nearest  and  dearest, 


188  John  Bachman. 

saying,  "  Give  me  one  day  for  the  luxury  of  grief." 
Then  he  came  forth,  and  calmly  took  up  the  duties 
of  life. 

The  following  November,  the  South  Carolina 
Synod  convened  at  St.  Paul's  Church,  Newberry.  Dr. 
Bachman  was  the  Presiding  Officer.  The  text  he 
selected  for  his  sermon  is  suggestive — 1  Samuel  iv. 
13.  "  And  when  he  came,  lo !  Eli  sat  upon  a  seat 
watching ;  for  his  heart  trembled  for  the  Ark  of  God.'' 
The  supporting  power  of  grace  was  lifting  up  God's 
servant  above  personal  sorrows.  The  safety  and 
prosperity  of  the  Church,  not  his  own  griefs,  were 
pressing  upon  his  heart. 

In  the  day  of  bereavement  the  tender  hearted  Pro- 
fessor of  theology.  Dr.  Ernest  Hazelius — a  brother 
born  for  adversity,  stood  at  his  side. 

Many  others,  according  to  their  own  fash  ion,  sought 
to  cheer  him,  and  his  heart  did  not  refuse  to  be  com- 
forted. 

A  great  calm  had  entered  into  the  soul  of  the 
Pastor  of  St.  John's ;  God  was  preparing  him  to  pass 
again,  " under  the  rod" 

In  October,  Mr.  John  Audubon  and  his  little 
daughter,  Lucy,  accompanied  by  Miss  Martin,  sailed 
for  New  York.  They  found  Mrs.  Victor  Audubon 
already  sadly  changed.  Perhaps  the  shock  of  the 
unexpected  separation  from  her  idolized  sister — the 
nine  months  of  anxiety,  and,  at  last,  the  end  of  all 
earthly  hope,  may  have  caused  her  illness. 

It  was  immediately  concluded  that  her  husband, 
and  Miss  Martin  should  without  delay  take  the 


Illness  of  his  Second  Daughter.  180 

invalid  to  Cuba.  It  was  not  thought  advisable  to 
select  the  route  via  Charleston ;  there  were  too  many 
recent  sad  memories  in  the  early  home ;  she  was  to 
stop  there  on  her  return. 

Her  father  wrote  to  Mr.  Victor  Audubon: 

CHARLESTON,  October  27th,  1840. 

Dear  Victor — By  your  letter,  you  were  to  sail  on 
Wednesday  last;  if  so,  by  our  calculations,  you  must 
now  be  somewhere  off  Charleston  or  Savannah. 
There  have  been  fair  days,  and  I  hope  that  you  are 
all  free  from  sea-sickness.  I  found,  in  the  latitude 
of  the  Bahamas,  Summer  weather  in  December. 

We  are,  of  course,  not  free  from  anxiety  ;  but  we 
all  hope  and  pray  for  the  best.  A  ship-voyage  may 
be  beneficial  to  Eliza.  I  have  all  confidence  that 
this,  together  with  travelling  and  visiting  milder 
regions,  will  materially  improve  her  health.  *  * 

On  the  same  day  he  wrote  to  his  daughter. 

My  dear  Eliza :  We  received  your  few  lines,  and 
all  feel  truly  anxious  for  your  recovery,  and  return 
to  us  in  good  health.  I  was  at  your  age,  much 
worse  than  you  are.  I  had  broken  a  blood  vessel, 
was  confined  six  months  to  my  bed,  and  was  given 
over  by  Dr.  Rush,  and  physic.  A  voyage  to  Jamaica 
and  a  subsequent  residence  in  Charleston,  affected  a 
cure — without  medicine.  Be  cheerful  and  content. 
Look,  as  I  always  try  to  do,  on  the  bright  side  of 
the  picture.  Keep  a  good  conscience  ;  trust  in  your 
God,  and  all  will  be  well.  *  *  * 

Your  affectionate  father, 

J.  B. 


190  John  Bachman. 

FROM  AUDUBON,  TO  HIS   DAUGHTER-IN-LAW,   MRS. 
VICTOR  AUDUBON. 

MINNIE'S  LAND,  New  York,  (1840.) 

My  sweet  child :  I  am  sorry  indeed,  that  you  have 
not  felt  willing  or  equal  to  write  us  more  than  you 
have  done. 

I  trust  that  the  weakness  you  suffered  from  is 
passing  away.  You  cannot  well  conceive  how  anx- 
ious we  are  to  have  you  again  under  our  own  com- 
fortable roof.  Although  you  are  in  a  delicious 
climate,  }^et,  "  Home,  sweet  Home,"  is  best  for  the 
invalid. 

May  God  direct  all  your  prescriptions  and  medi- 
cines. May  He  grant  you  all  assistance,  take  away 
all  fears,  and  return  you  to  us  as  happy,  bright  and 
blooming,  as  when  it  was  my  delight  to  call  you, 
"  my  beloved  Rosy" 

Love  to  Victor  and  to  my  friend,  Maria  Martin. 
Your  affectionate  father,  J.  J.  A. 

Judge  Dunkin,  (afterwards  Chief  Justice),  wrote 
to  Dr.  Bachman  from  his  plantation  at  Waccamaw, 
near  Georgetown,  S.  C.,  "Pay  us  a  visit,  bring  your 
daughter  Jane  with  you  and  leave  her  with  us  ;  she 
needs  a  change  of  air  and  of  scene. "  They  accepted 
the  invitation. 

On  his  return  to  Charleston,  he  wrote  to  his 
daughter  Jane,  at  Waccamaw. 

CHARLESTON,  December  26th,  1840. 

"I  hoped,  my  child,  to  have  wished  you  a  "Happy 
Christmas"  on  the  very  day,  but  I  did  not  come 
home  between  the  two  services,  so  have  lost  the  mail. 


A  Primitive  Stage  Coach.  191 

This  is  Saturday,  and  you  know  I  shall  be  very 
busy.  I  begun  this  letter  by  candle-light,  having 
been  called  up  during  the  night  to  baptize  a  sick 
child,  I  therefore,  wile  away  the  early  morn- 
ing hour  in  writing  to  you. 

Mr.  C  -  -  met  Eliza  and  party  in  New  Orleans ; 
from  his  account,  she  is,  at  least,  no  worse.  By  this 
time,  she  must  be  in  Cuba.  I  wrote  to  her  last 
night,  by  a  vessel  that  sailed  for  that  port. 

When  I  reached  Georgetown,  the  steamboat  had 
not  arrived.  I  waited  until  4  o'clock  P.  M.,  and 
thought  it  best  then  to  take  the  stage.  It  was  the 
little  apple  cart  I  came  up  in.  The  seams  below 
were  open,  and  the  winds  had  a  fair  sweep  through 
the  little  vehicle.  It  was  a  sadly  cold  night.  You 
know,  however,  I  profess  to  be  a  philosopher,  and  I 
made  the  best  of  it.  I  had  occupation  and  amuse- 
ment, for  the  stage  door  flew  open  about  every  quar- 
ter of  an  hour,  with  a  considerable  degree  of  regu- 
larity, and,  by  counting  the  number  of  times  I  shut 
the  door,  I  could  make  a  tolerable  guess  at  the  dis- 
tance travelled.  The  stars  were  bright,  and  I  could 
easily  see  them  through  the  torn  curtains ;  and  I 
brushed  up  the  little  Astronomy  that  I  had  not  for- 
gotten. At  "Santee  Ferry?'  I  had  the  coach  filled 
up  with  straw,  and  there  I  met  F.,  and  was  glad  to 
have  company.  *  * 

Thank  our  friends  for  all  their  kindness.  They 
have  given  me  pleasant  reminiscences  of  Waccamaw 
turkey,  Waccamaw  snipe,  and  good  long  Waccamaw 
yarns.  I  have  come  back  to  my  duties  with  better 
health  and  redoubled  relish." 

To  JOHN  W  AUDUBON. 

January,  1841. 

My  health  is,  on  the  whole,  good ;  but  the  least 
over  mental  exertion,  or  a  neglect  to  spend  a  day  in 


192  John  Bachman. 

the  week  out  of  the  city,  and  I  find  my  digestion 
affected.  Strange  that  with  little  practice  with  the 
gun,  I  should  shoot  more  steadily  than  formerly.  I 
recently  had  three  long  shots  at  deer — killed  two 
and  wounded  the  third.  I  never  saw  such  quanti- 
ties of  ducks  as  atWaccamaw.  I  killed  seven  English 
ducks  with  one  barrel,  and  five  with  the  other.  On 
the  morning  before  I  left,  I  took  them  singly,  I  had 
fourteen  shots  at  English  ducks,  and  killed  every 
one.  I  had  many  spectators,  and  a  kicking  gun, 
from  which  my  cheek  suffered.  If  John  had  been 
there,  with  his  big  "  Buffalo,"  (gun)  he  would  have 
astonished  the  ducks.  I  have  an  episode  to  add  ; 
They  are  ready  to  swear  at  Waccamaw,  that  there  is 
a  new  species  of  English  duck,  common  there  in 
March — smaller  than  ours.  They  will  send  some 
down  to  me,  and  we  shall  see.  I  received  yesterday, 
a  Black-winged  Hawk — killed  at  Edisto ;  take  notice, 
in  Winter.  Query — have  they  ever  been  seen  so  far 
North  as  this,  in  Summer? 

P.  S.     I  have  just  heard  from  Victor;  he  writes, 
"Eliza  is  a  little  better."     Out  of  the  seven  letters 

sent  by  us  to  Cuba,  not  one  has  yet  been  received. 
##  #  ##  #  ## 

J.  B. 
From  Mrs.  Victor  Audubon : 

HAVANA,  CUBA,  March  14th,  18-11. 
"  Dear  J.'s  letter  was  the  first  received,  since  our 
stay  on  the  Island,  and  it  gave  us  great  pleasure.  I 
have  been  prevented  by  indisposition,  from  answer- 
ing it.  To  day,  I  feel  unusually  well,  and  so  write 
to  you  all  whom  I  long  to  see.  Do  not  fear  that  my 
kind  husband  will  take  me  North,  without  my  see- 
ing you  all,  in  my  first  happy  home.  The  thought 
of  meeting  my  beloved  family  and  friends  in  Charles- 
ton, has  filled  my  mind  both  night  and  day. 


Letter  from  Havana.  193 

For  months,  all  my  leisure  time  has  been  spent 
In  fancy  work,  that  I  might  have  something  for 
each  of  my  friends.  Tell  Dr.  Holbrook  that  I  have 
everywhere  enquired  for  shells,  and  have  obtained 
quite  a  nice  collection  for  him.  The  only  shells 
that  I  found  myself,  were  among  the  rocks  and 
the  stones  at  "  San  Pedro" — scorpions  live  there,  so  I 
was  in  danger  of  being  stung  all  the  time.  The 
people  here,  seem  to  have  no  taste  for  Natural  His- 
tory, and  pass  by  the  greatest  curiosities  without 
noticing  them.  Mr.  B.  is  the  only  exception  we 
have  met  with,  and  our  visit  to  his  delightful  family, 
is  like  a  green  spot  in  the  desert.  We  left  San 
Pedro,  yesterday.  All  suffered  from  sea-sickness, 
except  myself.  I  was  able  to  sleep  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  day,  and  found  on  our  arrival  at  the 
hotel  in  Havana,  that  I  was  well  enough  to  help  to 
take  care  of  the  sick.  Do  not  think  that  when  we 
meet,  you  will  find  no  traces  of  disease  in  me ;  every 
breath  I  draw,  convinces  me  that  there  is  something 
to  be  removed,  before  health  can  return.  Yet,  when 
I  see  invalids  in  the  last  stage  of  disease  come  flock- 
ing to  this  Island,  I  feel  grateful  that  loving  friends 
have  removed  me  in  time,  that  my  life  may  be  pro- 
longed— perhaps  for  years. 

My  mind  is  dwelling  upon  the  thought,  that  I 
shall  take  Jennie  back  with  me  to  the  North.  It 
was  dear  mother  that  first  gave  me  the  promise, 
tell  her  to  remember  that  I  cannot  bear  a  disap- 
pointment; nothing  will  add  more  to  my  improve- 
ment than  to  have  her  with  me — the  walks  and  the 
drives  we  shall  take  together,  will  serve  to  amuse 
and  strengthen  me.  You  will  see  us  in  a  few  weeks. 

M.  E.  A. 

Letters  to  the  little  brother  and  sister  were  en- 
closed. 


194  John  Bachman. 

Dr.  Bachman,  in  a  letter  to  Audubon,  writes: 

"Eliza  has  written  to  us;  she  feels  herself  a  little 
improved ;  but,  from  her  account,  there  seems  to  me 
no  change  for  the  better.  I  am  glad  to  hear  that 
our  little  Lucy  and  Harriet  are  well  and  happy. 
We  are  not  all  well,  for  my  wife's  health  is  impaired; 
she  has  neuralgia  in  an  aggravated  form,  and  her 
constant  anxiety  about  Eliza  prevents  her  from  im- 
proving. 

Thanks  for  the  dog.  It  arrived  in  fine  order,  and 
promises  to  be  a  good  hound.  Dr.  Desel  has  shown 
such  hospitality  to  us  all,  that  I  sent  the  fine  animal 
as  a  present  to  him,  in  John's  name.  He  was  as  fat 
as  a  seal,  active  and  playful.  He  has  written  a  letter 
of  thanks,  and  sends  you  all  a  warm  invitation  to 
come  to  "  Liberty  Hall."  I  wish,  indeed,  that  you 
were  here  now,  to  take  a  little  recreation  with  me. 
You  shall  have  a  further  report  of  the  hound,  when 
he  knows  a  deer  from  a  rabbit. 

Amid  April  showers,  the  travellers  returned  from 
Cuba  to  Charleston.  All  strove  to  be  cheerful.  The 
flowers  were  blooming  and  the  birds  singing. 
Audubon's  "beloved  Rosy"  from  childhood  was  the 
life  of  the  home.  Maria  had  been  less  gay — a  gentle 
gravity,  a  singular  devotion  to  duty,  had  character- 
ized her.  Eliza  was  the  family  poetess  and  song- 
stress, the  promoter  of  innocent  mirth — ever  assured 
that  her  small  efforts  would  please  and  amuse.  Now,, 
she  strove  to  cheer  her  mother ;  she  did  not  dwell 
on  her  own  pain  or  grief.  She  suffered  chiefly  from 
debility ;  daily  fevers  were  sapping  her  young 
strength. 


Care.  195 

Dr.  Bachman  wrote  to  the  Audubons : 

May  8th,  1811. 

"Victor,  Eliza  and  Jane  have  just  sailed  (10  A.M.) 
for  New  York,  in  the  ship  "Calhoun."  Eliza  has  not 
improved.  Drs.  Geddings  and  Horlbeck  pronounce 
the  case  hopeless. 

We  have  yielded  to  a  sad  and  bitter  necessity  in 
parting  from  her,  under  these  circumstances.  Mrs. 
B.  has  had  a  return  of  ticdoloreux,  and  is  confined 
to  bed." 

Mr.  Victor  Auduboii  and  his  family,  under  the 
impression  that  the  tender  and  sorrowful  memories 
lingering  around  her  home,  would  retard  the  re- 
covery of  the  invalid,  and  still  clinging  to  the  hope 
that  her  health  might  be  restored,  urged  her  return 
to  their  lovely  rural  home  on  the  Hudson. 

To  HIS  DAUGHTER  JANE  : 

CHARLESTON,  May  llth,  1841. 

"It  is  three  days  since  you  left  us.  We  have  been 
watching  the  winds  and  the  weather,  and  if  good 
wishes  and  prayers  avail,  you  will  have  a  short  and 
pleasant  passage.  On  Sunday  it  blew  almost  a  gale 
here,  with  a  head-wind ;  yesterday  and  to-day,  the 
winds  are  fair.  I  think  you  must  have  passed  "Cape 
Hatteras  ; "  if  so,  this  letter  will  meet  you  in  New 
York.  I  need  not  say,  that  we  are  all  anxiety  un- 
til we  hear  from  you.  Your  mother  rests  pretty 
well;  but  her  pains  come  on  at  day-light,  and  some- 
times last  all  day. 

The  children  are  well  and  at  school.  W.  is  up  at 
day-light  looking  out  for  fair  winds,  and  asking 
many  questions  about  the  time  we  may  hope  to  hear 
from  vou. 


^  John  Bachman. 

Dear  Jane,  you  will  have  an  anxious  and  sorrow- 
ful time ;  but  these  sorrows,  cares  and  duties,  will 
discipline  you  for  the  future,  and  render  you  more 
useful,  and  better  prepared  for  both  worlds. 

We  have  parted  from  you  with  great  regret ;  and 
nothing  but  a  sense  of  duty  would  have  reconciled 
us  to  your  leaving  your  poor  mother — we  shall  miss 
you  every  hour — and  no  one  more  than  your 
mother.  Under  all  circumstances,  try  to  do  your 
duty.  Your  affections  will  prompt  you  to  do  all 
that  lies  in  your  power  to  relieve  and  console  your 
suffering  sister ;  and  you  must  direct  her  to  place 
her  trust  on  Him,  from \vhom  all  our  alleviations  and 
blessings  flow.  Write  what  you  think  of  Eliza's 
case — neither  flatter  nor  despair.  The  plain  truth, 
without  concealment,  is  the  safest  and  best  in  the 
end.  Walk  out  every  day.  when  you  can  be  spared; 
try  to  preserve  your  health  and  strength,  your  in- 
dustry and  energy,  for  future  trials,  should  God  see 
fit  to  send  them  ;  and  for  many  years  of  happiness, 
which  your  dutiful  conduct  so  well  deserves. 

Your  mother  and  every  member  of  the  family 
join  in  affectionate  remembrance  to  you  and  to  all, 
and  especially  to  our  dear  Eliza."  *  *  *  J.  B. 

Two  \veeks  later,  Mary  Eliza,  second  daughter  of 
John  Bachman,  and  wife  of  Victor  G.  Audubon, 
died  at  the  age  twenty-two.  She  was  laid  to  rest  in 
the  Cemetery  at  "  Audubon  Park,"  New  York.  A 
Lutheran  clergyman,  Kev.  Mr,  Martin,  performed 
the  last  sad  rites. 

DR.  BACHMAN  TO  HIS  DAUGHTER  JANK. 

"Victor's  letter  announcing  the  additional  weight 
of  sorrow  and  affliction  that  has  befallen  our  family  r 
was  received  to-day.  Though  in  a  manner  prepared 


Bereavement.  197 

for  it,  from  what  we  had  seen  of  her  wasted  strength, 
we  did  not  expect  it  so  soon.  The  ways  of  God  are 
dark  and  incomprehensible  to  us  poor  short-sighted 
mortals.  It.  is  our  duty  not  to  murmur,  but  to  pray 
for  submission.  When  Providence,  in  early  life, 
removes  from  us  those  who  have  trusted  in  God, 
and  faithfully  performed  their  duties,  we  should 
believe  that  they  have  accomplished  the  work  their 
Maker  designed  them  to  perform ,  and  have  lived  a  long 
life  in  a  few  years.  In  indulging  a  natural  sorrow  ior 
the  departed,  let  us  not  forget  our  duty  to  the  living. 

You  have  had  a  severe  trial — you  have  witnessed 
her  last  hours.  I  pray  God  to  soothe  your  griefs, 
and  strengthen  you  for  the  duties  now  before  you. 

You  are  aware  how  deep  was  our  regret  at  part- 
ing from  you.  Now,  since  your  melancholy  duties 
are  performed,  we  long  for  your  immediate  return. 
You  have  always  been  a  comfort  to  your  parents, 
and  especially  to  your  mother,  who  now  needs  you 
more  than  I  do.  How  far  this  new  trial  will  affect 
her,  I  know  not.  I  trust  that,  on  your  return,  you 
will  find  her  better  than  when  you  left  her,  and  as 
composed  in  mind,  as  can  be  expected,  under  pres- 
ent circumstances. 

Victor  and  John  will  make  all  necessary  arrange- 
ments for  your  return — let  it  be  immediate.  Now 
that  the  hand  of  God  is  upon  us,  we  look  not  only 
for  His  support,  but  also  for  the  stay,  the  sympathy, 
and  presence  of  our  friends. 

DEAR  VICTOR: 

I  do  not  know  that  I  can  add  anything  that  will 
tend  to  alleviate  your  sorrows  and  comfort  you 
under  an  affliction  that  has  fallen  on  you,  in  com- 
mon with  us.  You  have  our  deepest  sympathies. 
We  pray  God  to  support  you. 

Your  affectionate  father,  J.  B. 

9 


198  John  Bachman. 

Again  he  closed  the  door  of  his  study,  and  wres- 
tled with  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant.  It  was  not  for 
himself  alone  that  he  entered  into  thick  darkness, 
or  for  himself  alone  that  he  came  out  into  the  light. 
Duty  has  been  called  "  The  stern  daughter  of  the  voice 
of  God."  Yet  as  she  leads  forth  a  bleeding  heart  to 
minister  to  suffering  humanity,  is  she  not  trans- 
formed into  an  angel,  with  healing  on  her  wings  ? 
Men  spoke  of  the  "  large  sympathy  "  of  the  Pastor 
of  St.  John's.  Was  it  not  God-given,  in  the  furnace 
of  affliction  ? 


CHAPTER   XIII. 
LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS. 

DEGREE  OF  DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY  CONFERRED — ELECTED  TO 
VARIOUS  SCIENTIFIC  AND  LITERARY  SOCIETIES  IN  EUROPK 
AND  AMERICA — ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH  COLONIZES — LETTERS  TO 
AUDUBON  ON  HIS  RETURN  FROM  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS— QUAD- 
RUPEDS OF  NORTH  AMERICA — VISIT  TO  AUDUBON — HIS  DAUGH- 
TER JULIA — JOY  AT  THE  BIRTH  OF  HIS  FIRST  GRANDSON 

FAMILY    LETTERS. 

To  AUDUBON : 

CHARLESTON,  August,  1842. 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND  :  I  have  just  returned  from  a 
visit  to  the  country,  where  I  have  left  Mrs.  Bach- 
man  for  the  benefit  of  her  health.  I  have  a  season 
ticket  on  the  railroad,  and,  on  my  weekly  visits,  I 
do  much  of  my  writing  on  Natural  History.  The 
moment  the  clock  strikes  four  I  am  up,  and  soon  at 
work.  From  this  hour  until  seven,  I  have  no  inter- 
ruptions. I  hope  in  this  way  to  steal  time  to  write 
about  Quadrupeds.  When  I  get  fairly  under  way,  as 
I  am  now,  I  am  not  very  easily  diverted  from  the 
object  before  me,  and  nothing  but  ill  health  or  do- 
mestic affliction  will  keep  me  back." 

J.  B. 

His  love  for  Nature  in  all  her  forms  made  these 
days  of  recreation  fruitful  to  others,  as  well  as  health- 
giving  to  himself.  Wherever  he  went,  his  pupils 


200  John  Bachman. 

and  assistants  brought  to  him  the  results  of  their 
investigations,  which  he  faithfully  recorded  in  his 
little  note-book.  Teacher  and  pupil  became  alike 
enthusiastic  over  their  discoveries;  but  the  good 
work  did  not  end  there.  Under  the  broad  canopy 
of  heaven,  timid  souls  almost  unconsciously  laid 
bare  to  him  their  hearts,  and  drew  from  him  wise 
counsel  or  tender  sympathy.  It  has  been  said  of 
him,  "  His  simple,  child-like  character  inspired  con- 
fidence, almost  instantaneously." 

Dr.  Bachman,  from  1835,  besides  writing  numbers 
of  miscellaneous  essays  and  reviews  for  scientific 
journals,  contributed  largely  to  the  Editorial 
columns  of  the  Southern  Agriculturist.  His  labors 
introduced  him  to  The  World  of  Science,  which  gave 
him  a  most  gratifying  recognition. 

In  1838,  he  received  from  Berlin,  the  degree  of 
"  Doctor  of  Philosophy,"  and  later  he  was  elected  to 
nearly  every  scientific  association  in  America,  and 
Europe. 

But  his  pastoral  duties  justly  claimed  his  best  and 
most  arduous  labors. 

He  wrote  in  1843: 

Our  city  has  been  unusually  healthy  during  the 
past  Summer — in  my  own  congregation  I  have  had 
but  two  deaths ;  but  in  a  locality  near  the  outskirts 
of  the  city,  the  "  Stranger's  Fever  "  broke  out  among 
the  laborers  on  the  railroad  and  swept  off  a  great 
number  of  Germans. 

As  our  German  minister  was  absent,  I  attended  to 
his  duties  and  found  mv  hands  full. 


Xf.  John's  Colonizes.  201 

During  the  early  part  of  his  ministry  in  Charles- 
ton, he  preached  in  German  once  a  month.  Believing 
that  St.  John's  would  flourish  more  if  the  ministra- 
tions were  exclusively  in  English,  he  encouraged 
many  of  his  German  members  to  unite  with  the 
Germans  in  the  city  in  forming  a  congregation,  the 
services  of  which  should  be  conducted  entirely  in 
German. 

In  1841,  the  corner-stone  of  the  German  Church 
in  Hasell  street,  was  laid;  and,  in  1842,  its  first 
Pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Becker,  arrived  from  Germany. 
This  offshoot  from  St.  John's  required  the  fostering 
care  of  Dr.  Bachrnan  and  greatly  increased  his  labors. 

To   AUDUBON,   after   he  had   recrossed  the   Rocky 
Mountains. 

CHARLESTON,  Oct.  31st,  1843. 

My  Dear  Friend  :  My  anxieties  about  you  were 
relieved  by  your  letter,  dated  from  Fort  Leaven- 
worth. 

1  rejoice,  friend,  that  you  have  escaped  all  dangers 
and  are,  to-day,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  coffee-pot,  the 
feather-bed,  and  white  faces. 

I  write  this  to  meet  you  in  New  York. 

Tell  me  of  all  your  discoveries.  You  must  have 
things  rare  and  new.  0,  how  I  long  to  tumble  over 
the  specimens.  Talk  of  turtle-soup,  and  other  deli- 
cacies ;  they  are  trifles,  indeed,  compared  to  such  a 
treat. 

Your  specimens  require  an  examination  of  three 
months.  I  cannot  be  spared  from  my  pulpit,  for  a 
single  Sunday — then  how  can  I  come  to  you  ?  It  is 
out  of  the  question,  therefore,  I  feel  sure  that  soon 


202  John  Bachman. 

you  will  be  in  my  home  with  all  your  treasures,  and 
we  will  discuss  these  subjects,  as  men  ought  to  do 
who  are  in  earnest. 

Write  to  me  on  foolscap,  fully,  fearlessly ;  what 
long  yarns  I  expect  to  hear  from  you.  Had  you 
the  honor  of  knocking  down  the  Buffalo  and  the 
Moose?  Have  you  brought  with  you  a  Grizzly 
Bear,  a  Panther,  and  a  Wild-cat?  Out  with  your 
treasures !  Let  us  overhaul  them  ! 

November  29th. — Fourteen  new  birds,  did  you 
say,  friend  Audubon — aye,  it  is  a  grand  haul !  and 
the  new  Deer,  what  about  that  ? 

I  saw  in  a  Western  paper,  that  you  had  been  mis- 
taken for  a  Dunker,  (a  sect  of  Quakers  distinguished 
by  their  long  beards).  I  am  not  surprised — and  I 
am  glad  to  hear  that  the  great  beard  is  now  cut  off. 
I  pictured  you  to  myself,  as  I  saw  you  in  my  home, 
when  you  came  from  Florida,  via  Savannah.  You 
jumped  down  from  the  top  of  the  stage.  Your 
beard,  two  months  old,  was  as  gray  as  a  Badger's. 
I  think,  a  grizzly-bear,  forty-seven  years  old,  would 
have  claimed  you  as  "par  nobile  fratrum. 

I  shall  take  good  care  of  your  seeds ;  they  will  do 
best  here,  when  planted  in  Winter.  Send  a  few  of 
each,  that  I  may  plant  them  as  early  as  possible. 

I  long  much  to  hear  more  of  what  you  have  ac- 
complished on  your  expedition.  I  am  a  tea-totaller. 
I  drink  no  wine  and  do  not  use  snuff.  I  hope  that 
you  are  able  to  say  the  same.  * 

J.  B. 
To  VICTOR  G.  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  1844. 

My  Dear  Victor :  To  go  ahead  with  my  work,  I 
must  have  books  for  reference.  Charleston  is  a  poor 
place  for  scientific  works.  I  am  often  sadly  at  a  loss 
for  books  I  desire  to  consult.  I  send  you  a  list  of 


Industrious  Habits.  203 

them.  How  I  should  like  to  look  into  them  for 
only  two  iveeks.  Alas  !  what  can  I  do  ?  Sometimes, 
I  have  to  set  aside  a  species,  for  the  lack  of  speci- 
mens and  books.  The  books  are  to  be  found  in 
New  York  and  Philadelphia,  but  are  expensive.  I 
would  not  have  you  buy  them ;  but  could  you  not 
copy  for  me  such  articles  as  we  need  ? 

I  enclose  my  plan.  I  wish  always,  a  month  be- 
fore the  time,  that  you  would  give  me  notice  of  the 
species  you  intend  to  put  into  the  hands  of  the  en- 
graver, and  send  me,  at  the  same  time,  the  speci- 
men. I  cannot  describe  without  it ;  I  will  guess  at 
nothing. 

I  find  the  labor  greater  than  I  expected,  and  fear 
that  I  may  break  down  and,  therefore,  cry  in  time, 
"  Help  me  Cassius  or  I  sink !"  Writing  descriptions 
is  slow  and  fatiguing  work.  I  cannot,  in  the  careful 
manner  that  I  am  doing  them,  write  more  than 
three  in  a  week.  My  son-in-law,  Haskell,  has  copied 
forty-two  closely  written  pages  for  me.  I  cannot 
shorten  the  articles,  many  of  them  I  ought  rather  to 
lengthen.  With  patience  and  the  help  of  all,  I 
hope,  however,  to  get  on — the  work  may  be  lighter 
as  we  proceed. 

The  following  is  my  daily  practice  :  "  I  am  up  at 
4  A.  M.,  and  work  till  breakfast,  and  recently, 
when  parochial  duties  would  permit,  have  kept  on 
until  3  P.  M. 

The  brush  of  my  old  friend,  Audubon,  is  a  truth- 
teller.  I  regard  his  drawings  as  the  best  in  the 
world.  Let  us  be  very  careful  to  correct  any  errors 
of  description  that  have  crept  in  on  the  plates — I 
see  a  few  in  the  lettering — they  can  be  corrected  in 
the  letter-press ;  and  let  us  be  so  cautious  as  to  have 
nothing  in  the  future  to  correct.  There  is  but  one 
principle  on  which  a  just  man  can  act;  that  is, 
always  to  seek  the  truth  and  to  abide  by  it. 


204  John  Bachman. 

I  am  pleased  with  Owen's  manner  of  dissecting, 
and  his  anatomical  investigations  in  deciding  on 
closely  allied  genera.  He  has,  however,  given  very 
few  of  our  American  quadrupeds.  While  I  do  not 
wish  the  dissections  of  others  to  be  copied,  we  may 
learn  something  from  them  of  their  manner  of  dis- 
secting. Our  motto  must  he  :  Nature,  Truth,  and 
no  ITumbug ! 

November  29th.  Your  letters  have  been  received. 
About  the  little  mouse — I  cannot  see  a  needle  in  a 
haystack  ;  or  give  it  a  name  without  knowing  what 
it  is.  Friend,  descriptions  cannot  be  written,  as  a 
man  works  at  making  Jews-harps — so  many  dozen 
in  a  given  time.  My  credit,  as  well  as  your  father's, 
is  so  deeply  concerned,  that  /  will  not  publish  a  day 
before  1  am  ready.  On  the  whole,  I  am  rather 
pleased  with  the  work  thus  far.  If  I  keep  my 
health,  the  letter-press  (1st  volume  of  Quadrupeds) 
will  be  finished  in  the  Spring,  and  we  shall  not  be 
ashamed  of  it.  But  if  you  hurry  and  worry — why 
— dyspepsia — temper,  and  the  old  fellow  I  have 
drawn  for  you  (Satan),  I  don't  know  how  to  figure 
his  horns  and  his  tail !  My  business  and  profession 
is  to  keep  him  down — be  careful  that  you  don't 
wake  him  up  !  * 

I  have  such  confidence  in  you,  that  I  believe  that 
you  will  do  all  that  I  wish.  In  doing  this,  however, 
you  will  have  your  hands  full.  Mine  are  so— 
God  knows !  Will  not  my  old  friend,  Audu- 
bon,  wake  up,  and  work  as  he  used  to  do,  when 
we  banged  at  the  Herons  and  the  fresh  water 
Marsh-hens? 

I  have  a  story  to  tell  you  about  our  little  mouse. 
I  believe  that  I  am  the  first  man  who  has  carefully 
compared  the  American  and  European  mice — my 
notes  are  full.  Tell  Jostle  to  write  me  a  letter,  or  what 


Audubon.  205 

is  better,  come  and  see  me  work,  and  aid  me  in  getting 
specimens. 

Soon  after  Audubon 's  return  from  his  perilous 
journeys  among  the  Rocky  Mountains,  his  friend 
first  marked,  with  deep  concern,  a  lack  of  that  noble 
enthusiasm  in  his  work,  that  had  formerly  touched 
all  hearts,  and  made  his  studies  and  labors  in 
Natural  History  a  source  of  delight  to  himself  and 
to  all  lovers  of  Nature.  It  was  supposed  that  in  his 
eager  search  for  specimens  to  carry  on  his  great 
work,  he  had  overtaxed  the  strength  of  his  body 
and  mind.  His  friend  and  co-laborer  wrote  to  him 
frequently,  and  sought  to  arouse  and  interest  him 
in  his  former  loved  pursuits. 

To  AUDUBON : 

Do  you  want,  friend  Jostle,  to  hear  about  the 
Ourassows?  The  vagabonds  climb  up  the  fruit 
trees  in  my  yard,  in  spite  of  their  wings  being  cut ; 
and  they  pluck  off  the  green  fruit.  Besides,  they 
have  nearly  stripped  my  peacock  of  feathers ;  they 
peck  away  at  the  servants  and  race  the  children. 
They  build,  I  find,  on  trees ;  the  old  male,  as  large 
as  a  turkey,  built  a  nest  on  my  mulberry  tree,  and 
sat  bellowing  like  a  Bullfrog,  to  invite  the  female 
up.  Before  she  followed,  she  dropped  an  egg  in  the 
yard;  it  looked  like  that  of  the  Turkey -buzzard.  *  * 

During  the  summer  of  1845,  accompanied  by  two 
of  his  daughters,  he  went  North,  attended  a  meeting 
of  the  General  Synod,  and  spent  a  few  weeks  at 
Audubon's  home  on  the  Hudson  River. 


206  John  Bachman. 

Audubon  and  Bachman  clasp  hands  as  of  yore. 
The  beautiful  Hudson  flows  at  their  feet;  their 
grand-children  play  at  their  knees — and  they  are 
happy — very  happy  !  Soon,  however,  Bach  man's 
observant  eye  and  loving  heart  detected  in  Audu- 
bon the  unusual  absence  of  mind,  that  for  some 
time,  had  been  noticed  by  his  family  and  friends. 
Yet,  during  this  visit,  Audubon  painted,  with  his  un- 
rivalled skill,  "Leeonte's  Pine  Mouse]  "  his  friend  is 
delighted,  and  thinks  that  rest  is  all  that  is  needed 
to  restore  Audubon  to  health  of  mind  and  body. 

In  October,  Dr.  Bachman  turned  his  face  home- 
wards. The  Audubons  had  planned,  that  one  of  the 
daughters,  in  order  to  benefit  from  the  skill  of  an 
eminent  occulist,  should  remain  a  year  under  their 
hospitable  roof. 

TO    HIS    DAUGHTER    JANE,    IN  NEW  YORK  : 

BALTIMORE,  (Sunday  night.) 

My  dear  Jane  :  "I  intended  to  write  you  to-mor- 
row from  Washington,  but  remembering  that  it  will 
be  a  very  busy  day,  I  write  to-night.  I  preached 
this  morning :  Julia  and  our  friends  accompanied 
me  to  Church.  I  hope  that  we  have  all  had  a 
very  profitable  day. 

Julia  enjoys  everything ;  friends  have  taken  en- 
tire possession  of  her.  Sight-seeing  involves  many 
fatigues  and  labors  ior  both  mind  and  body — and, 
as  I  approach  nearer  home,  I  find  myself  more  and 
more  anxious  to  move  on.  Were  it  not  for  Julia,  I 
should  not  stop  at  Washington. 

I  have  left  you,  my  daughter,  in  New  York  solely 
for  the  benefit  of  your  eyes  ;  try  to  be  as  happy  as 


Julia  Bachman.  207 

you  can  during  the  cold  winter  which  is  approach- 
ing. But  at  your  age,  I  did  not  mind  the  cold.  Like 
Frank  in  the  Reading  book,  I  used  to  wish  that 
Winter  might  last  all  the  year. 

Next  to  your  own  dear  parents,  you  are  with  the 
friends  who  love  you  most  in  the  world,  and  will  try 
to  gratify  every  wish  of  your  heart.  Do  not  make 
yourself  unhappy  aoout  your  separation  from  your 
mother.  Lynch  has  become  an  excellent  nurse, 
and  Aunt  Maria  and  I,  will  not  let  mother  want 
for  any  thing. 

You  must  try  to  think  that  this  temporary  separ- 
ation, will  be  "best  for  your  mother  and  yourself. 
What  we  cannot  alter  we  should  learn  too,  to  bear 
patiently.  Trust  in  the  Wise  Disposer  of  Events, 
who  does  nothing  in  vain,  and  sends  even  visita- 
tions and  sorrows  to  work  out  His  own  good  pur- 
poses. 

The  last  time  your  mother  went  to  Haskell's,  she 
improved,  arid  I  shall  coax  her  to  pay  another  visit 
to  Totness  during  the  winter.  *  * 

Love  and  thanks  to  Victor,  and  to  all  the  Audu- 
bon  family  for  their  great  kindness  to  you  and  to 
us  during  our  visit.  * 

Wherever  the  father  and  daughter  journeyed,  the 
classical  form  and  face  of  his  daughter,  Julia,  was 
the  subject  of  comment.  The  attention  she  attracted 
was  no  doubt  gratifying  to  his  fatherly  pride;  yet 
it  seems  to  have  aroused  a  fear  in  his  heart,  that  the 
adulation  bestowed  upon  unusual  personal  beauty 
might  be  injurious  to  the  spiritual  development  of 
his  child.  Julia,  perhaps  accustomed  to  admiration 
from  childhood,  seemed  to  be  scarcely  conscious  of  it. 
She  was  frequently  requested  to  sit  for  her  likeness, 


208  John  Packman. 

but  always  declined.  Reserved  in  manner,  and  of  a 
temperament  so  unlike  her  father's:  it  was  not  until 
several  years  later,  that  he  discovered  how  entirely 
he  had  misunderstood  her  character. 

On  his  return  to  Charleston,  he  wrote  to  Victor 
Audubon : 

October  31st,  1845. 

We  arrived  at  our  own  dear  home,  well,  though 
much  fatigued.  My  good  wife  is  not  suffering  to- 
day. 

While  at  Washington,  I  worked  like  a  horse 
among  the  quadrupeds — Peale  assisted  me. 

The  specimens  are  here  before  me,  ready  to  be 
handled,  also  the  Elk  horns — I  thank  you. 

I  see  De  Kay  makes  two  species  of  our  Northern 
Grey  Squirrel — I  think  it  an  extraordinary  mistake. 
The  three  you  figured  are  in  Summer  pilage,  without 
hair-like  tufts  on  the  back  of  the  ears.  My  opinion 
is,  that  the  Squirrels  of  the  first  summer  get  no  tufts 
the  first  Winter;  but  the  second  Winter  the  tufts  ap- 
pear, and  return  always.  I  once  obtained  in  the 
New  York  Market,  three  with  tufts  in  December.  I 
remember  too,  that  when  a  boy  I  caught  them  in 
traps  in  Winter,  they  had  tufts ;  and  in  Summer,  they 
were  all  Grey  Squirrels;  and  I  was  much  puzzled. 
Now  friend,  can't  you  ransack  the  market  for  caged 
squirrels,  and  examine  for  yourself? 

It  is  late,  and  I  am  weary,  weary.  To-morrow  I 
shall  finish  this. 

January  1st,  1846. 

Dear  Audubon — As  I  do  not  like  to  disappoint  you 
in  anything,  I  send  you  one  of  the  articles.  It  is 
about  a  fair  sample  of  the  whole — some  please  me 
far  better — there  are  a  dozen  superior  to  this,  whilst 


Audubon's  Journal.  209 

others  have  less  interest.  I  try  to  incorporate  as 
much  as  I  can  of  your  own,  but,  in  most  cases,  your 
notes  have  come  too  late. 

You  see  how  plain  Haskell  writes :  I  should  think 
that  by  this  time,  he  has  copied  three  hundred 
pages  as  correctly  as  the  inclosed.  I  should  have 
sent  an  article  from  those  I  prefer,  but  they  contain 
blanks  to  be  filled  up  when  I  get  the  desired  infor- 
mation. 

March  6th,  1846. 

For  the  last  four  nights,  I  have  been  reading  your 
journal.  I  am  much  interested,  though  I  find  less 
about  the  quadrupeds  than  I  expected.  The  narra- 
tions are  particularly  spirited,  and  often  instructive, 
as  well  as  amusing.  All  that  you  write  on  the  spot, 
I  can  depend  on,  but  I  never  trust  to  the  memory 
of  others,  any  more  than  to  my  own.  I  admire  a 
remark  of  Dr.  Wright's  on  this  head.  I  wished  him 
to  give  me  an  account  of  the  glands  of  the  Skunk. 
He  answered,  "  I  must  write  for  my  notes,  I  cannot 
depend  for  these  particulars  on  a  fading  memory" 

Poor  Dr.  Wright,  he  spent  two  weeks  at  my 
house;  then,  at  his  request,  I  took  him  to  Aiken.  I 
have  now  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  him  ;  he  is 
able  to  drive  out,  but  his  cough  has  increased,  and 
I  fear  that  we  shall  have  to  abandon  all  hope  of  his 
recovery. 

To  return  to  your  Journal.  I  am  afraid  that  the 
shadows  of  the  Elk,  Buffalo,  and  Bighorn  hid  the 
little  Marmots,  Squirrels  and  Jumping  Mice.  I  wish 
that  you  had  engaged  some  of  the  hunters  to  set 
traps.  I  should  like  to  get  the  Rabbit  that  led  you 
so  weary  a  chase.  Write  to  S.,  and  find  out  some 
way  of  getting  —  not  his  princess  brain-eating, 
horse-straddling  squaw,  but  what  is  better  than 
such  a  specimen  from  the  Black-foot  country — 1st, 
The  Skunk  ;  2nd,  Hares,  in  Winter  colors  ;  and  3rd, 


210  John  Bad  mew i. 

the  Rabbit  that  you  chased.  In  your  Journal  your 
descriptions  of  Buffalo  hunts  are  first  rate.  I  don't 
like  my  article  on  the  "  Beaver,"  I  shall  have  to 
write  it  over  again.  If  I  could  only  borrow  Tem- 
minck's  large  work.  Every  library  here  is  open  to 
me,  and  you  would  be  astonished  to  see  the  number 
of  books  in  my  own  library;  but  the  scientific  works 
of  close  comparison  are  not  among  them.  I  had 
written  letter  after  letter,  but  might  have  saved  ten 
dollars  postage.  The  answers  from  my  native  State 
brought  me  no  information.  One  letter  to  Dr. 
Wright,  last  year,  solved  my  difficulties,  and  con- 
firmed my  old  views — his  letter  was  like  a  light  in 
a  dark  chamber.  Alas  !  he  is  not  long  for  this 
world.  His  very  love  of  science  causes  him  to  wish 
to  live.  I  am  truly  glad  that  he  came  to  us,  instead 
of  going,  as  he  proposed,  to  South  America;  here  he 
receives  every  attention.  When  he  parted  from  me, 
yesterday,  he  told  me  that  we  should  not  meet 
again — I  believe  that  he  is  mistaken.  As  soon  as  I 
have  sent  off  your  first  twenty-five  numbers,  I  shall 
go  and  spend  a  few  days  with  him.  Love  to  Jane 
and  to  the  whole  family  circle.  *  *  *  * 

To  HIS  DAUGHTER  JANE: 

March  8th,  1846. 

Winter  with  us,  to  all  appearances,  is  past  and 
gone.  The  Jasmines  and  Honeysuckles  are  just 
beginning  to  show  a  few  flowers.  The  Plum  trees 
are  in  full  bloom.  To-morrow,  the  first  rose  will 
open — a  beautiful  Cloth  of  Gold.  I  wish  I  could  give 
it  to  you — imagine  that  you  have  it,  Could  I  send 
it,  the  heart  would  go  along  with  it. 

Your  mother  misses  you — her  faithful  nurse;  but 
L.  is  a  treasure,  and  is  now  reading  aloud  to  amuse 
her.  William  enters  college  next  month.  Little 


A  Thorn  in  the  Flesh.  211 

C.  is  obedient  and  excellent.  I  have  not  had  occa- 
sion to  reprove  her  for  six  months,  and  she  is  grow- 
ing in  size  and  improving  in  knowledge. 

The  whole  family  send  you  a  thousand  remem- 
brances. Love  to  the  Audubons.  *  *  *  J.  B. 

P.  S. — My  article  on  the  Beaver,  that  did  not 
please  me,  I  have  re-written,  and  Julia  has  copied 
it  clearly  for  me.  Say  to  Victor  that  it  is  now  ready 
for  the  press. 

To  JOHN  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  March  21st,  1845. 

I  find  the  describing  and  writing  the  histories  of 
animals  slow  and  tedious  work.  I  have  been  nearly 
two  days,  until  late  in  the  evenings,  hammering  at 
the  Porcupine,  and  the  article  is  not  yet  quite 
finished.  *  *  * 

Victor  writes  that  I  am  growing  savage.  True, 
my  boy,  for  I  am  the  school-master  just  now,  and 
find  him  a  little  lazy,  and  I  am  lashing  him  to  work. 
When  he  behaves  like  an  industrious  boy,  I  shall 
put  him  at  the  head,  and  give  him  sugar  plums. 

18th.  1  have  suffered  so  much  with  inflammation 
of  the  eyes  for  the  last  four  or  five  days,  that  the  Doc- 
tors insist  that  I  have  overworked  them,  and  have 
made  me  give  up  writing  for  some  days.  Sister 
Maria  hid  my  spectacles,  and  I  only  found  them 
after  all  had  gone  to  bed. 

If  to-morrow  Doctor  Horlbeck  should  allow  me, 
with  a  shade  over  my  eyes,  in  an  hour  I  could  ex- 
amine my  specimens.  Every  book  that  you  have 
lately  sent  me  is  a  treasure. 

My  daughter  Harriet,  and  son-in-law  H  ask  ell,  are 
with  us. 


212  John  Bachman. 

P.  S.,  March  22d. — Within  this  hour,  a  grand-son 
has  been  born  to  me.  Harriet  and  the  boy  are  do- 
ing well.  I  hear  the  fellow's  voice — his  lungs  are 
strong.  He  is  to  be  called  "John  Bachman" 
(Haskell.) 

Great  was  the  joy  of  the  grand-parents  over  their 
first  grand-son.  Mrs.  Bachman  grew  a  little 
stronger,  as  she  watched  by  the  cradle,  and  made 
little  garments  for  their  boy. 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBUN  : 

April  6th,  184(3. 

My  predictions  and  fears,  with  regard  to  my 
friend,  Dr.  Wright,  have  been  verified  sooner  than 
I  expected.  His  body,  enclosed  in  a  leaden  coffin, 
was  brought  to  my  house  from  Aiken,  yesterday.  I 
shall  forward  his  remains  to  his  friends  in  New 
York,  by  the  next  boat  I  grieve  much  for  the  loss 
of  a  man  of  science — of  skill  in  his  profession — of  a 
pure  heart  and  useful  life.  Mrs.  Wright  is  with  us ; 
she  leaves  to-morrow,  in  company  with  friends  for 
New  York.  Will  you,  for  my  sake,  take  her  to 
your  home  for  a  few  days,  until  the  bod}''  reaches 
New  York  ?  Her  friends  will  meet  her  there,  and 
they  will  take  the  remains  to  Dr.  Wright's  home  in 
Troy. 

We  enjoyed  John  Audubon's  visit,  and  shall  be 
very  glad  to  hear  of  his  safe  arrival  home. 

Mrs.  Bach  man's  health,  for  a  fortnight,  has  been 
improving.  Harriet  and  the  boy  are  quite  well. 
Haskell  has  just  left  us  for  his  plantation. 

J.  B. 
To  AUDUBON : 

April  7th. 

Yesterday  Mrs.  P.,  the  friend  of  Mrs.  Audubon, 
called  on  us.  We  were  much  pleased  with  her  in- 


Mrs.  Bachman.  213 

telligence  and  agreeable  manners.  She  has  now 
seen  every  member  of  our  family — the  little  grand- 
son in  the  bargain.  She  was  present,  too,  at  his 
baptism.  I  cannot  conceal  from  you, 

friend  Audubon,  that  my  spirits  lately  have  been 
depressed ;  nor  can  I  conceal  from  myself,  that  my 
dear  wife's  sufferings  have  shattered  her  frame,  and 
that  she  has  been  losing  strength.  I  trust  in  God 
that  there  may  be  some  decidedly  favorable  change, 
else  it  is  problematic,  if  her  strength  will  permit  her 
to  come  to  you  in  June,  as  you  have  planned — this 
must  be  left  to  the  development  of  time. 

The  proof-sheets  have  not  been  received ;  I  hope 
that  they  will  come  to  hand,  that  I  may  correct 
them  next  week  ;  but  I  work  now  in  a  spiritless 
manner. 

This  is  Saturday,  and  I  am  unusually  busy.  Mrs. 
P.  will  tell  you  all  about  us,  and  Jane  will  ask  many 
questions  about  everything  and  everybody  at  home. 

Monday. — The  Letter-press  has  been  received,  and 
returned  corrected.  I  am  hard  at  work  on  the 
articles  during  the  few.  hours  left  to  me  from  a 
thousand  calls  and  interruptions.  We  have  a  small 
family — only  my  three  school-children  are  at  home, 
the  others  are  away,  and  the  house  seems  very 
quiet — too  quiet. 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON: 

April  1st,  1840. 

For  weeks  I  have  not  answered  your  letters.  I 
had  taken  my  poor,  suffering  wife  to  Totness, 
(Haskell's  summer  residence),  ninety-five  miles  from 
Charleston.  I  left  her  with  my  daughter  Harriet, 
improving  as  I  thought.  Suddenly  her  Ticdoloreux 
returned  in  frightful  paroxysms  ;  the  physician's  skill 
was  powerless  to  control  the  pain,  and  she  became 


214  John  Bachman. 

so  excessively  weak  that,  every  day,  for  two  weeks, 
I  feared  the  end  was  near.  Haskell  sent  for  all  the 
children.  I  was  wretched ;  I  cannot  look  to  the 
event  of  losing  my  beloved  wife  without  feelings 
bordering  on  despair. 

Sunday  night. — A  favorable  change  occurred 
yesterday,  (Saturday).  I  took  the  train  and  reached 
Charleston  in  time  to  fill  my  pulpit,  and  shall  re- 
turn to  Totness  by  to-morrow's  early  train. 

I  had  hoped  that  the  change  into  the  country, 
would  benefit  my  dear  wife.  Even  now,  I  ain  not 
entirely  bereaved  of  hope,  but  my  prospects  are 
dark — very  dark.  I  shall  not  let  her  leave  me 
again.  If  she  could  only  bear  the  journey,  and  be 
at  home  once  more,  near  her  own  physicians,  in 
whom  she  has  the  utmost  confidence.  Meanwhile 
1  have  brought  my  daughter  Julia  home  with  me, 
to  take  care  of  the  boys,  who  return  to  school. 

Your  queries  I  cannot  answer  until  I  have  my  mind 
again — at  present  I  am  unable  to  think  or  to  attend 
to  anything. 

CHARLESTON,  April  8th. 

"  The  Electric  Battery  "  has,  at  length,  brought 
relief  to  my  poor,  suffering  wife.  She  is  to-day  com- 
paratively free  from  pain,  though  very  weak. 

I  have  brought  her  home  again.  You  will  hear 
from  me  soon.  J.  B. 

MRS.    BACHMAN,    TO  HER    DAUGHTER,    MRS.    WM. 
E.  HASKELL,  AT  ZANTE,  S.  C. 

CHARLESTON,  May  1st,  1846. 

My  dear  Harriet — "I  am  delighted  to  hear  that 
Julia  and  yourself  had  such  a  pleasant  journey  to 
Zante.  Julia  writes  me  that  Zante  is  a  lovely  place; 
and  that  the  little  Bachman  is  well  and  good.  I  felt 


John  Bachman  HaskelL  215 

lonely  after  you  left  ine,  and  thought  several  times 
that  I  heard  the  baby  cry.  Had  I  not  made  up  my 
mind  to  go  North  this  Summer,  I  should  have  tried 
to  spend  much  of  the  time  with  you ;  but  I  long  to 
see  Jane  and  bring  her  home  with  me. 

By  my  writing,  you  will  see  that  I  am  weak  and 
nervous — though  I  am  better  than  I  ever  expected 
to  be.  *  Harriet  B. 

JOHN  BACHMAN  TO  VICTOR  AUDUBON. 

CHARLESTON,  June  6th,  1846. 

The  Mouse  from  Fort  Union  is  new.  I  would 
like  you  to  figure  it  and  return  it  then  to  me, 
that  I  may  name  and  describe  it.  Have  patience 
with  me,  remember  I  have  many  important,  and 
unaided  Church  duties  to  perform. 

I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  say  that  my  dear  wife 
has  been  well  enough  to  take  several  drives,  and  has 
been  able  once  to  go  to  Church.  I  hope  to  bring 
her  to  you  in  a  month's  time. 

MRS.  BACHMAN  TO  HER  DAUGHTER  MRS.  WILLIAM  E. 
HASKELL. 

June  21st,  1846. 

Last  Sunday  I  attended  service,  both  morning 
and  afternoon,  but  I  have  not  been  so  well  this 
week. 

I  am  rejoicing  over  the  good  accounts  of  the 
greatest  of  grandsons — how  I  would  like  to  take  a 
peep  at  him,  I  should  hardly  know  him  now. 

I  wish  that  circumstances  would  allow  me  to 
spend  a  month  with  you  before  I  leave  for  New- 
York,  but  it  cannot  be  arranged. 

Your  father  thinks  that  we  shall  be  ready  to  sail, 
about  the  first  week  in  July. 


216  John  Bachman. 

I  trust  that  my  health  may  improve,  and  that  I 
may  have  the  strength  to  assist  your  Aunt  Maria  in 
taking  care  of  my  family.  Love  to  Julia  and  Mr. 
Haskell — kiss  little  Bachman  a  thousand  times  for 
me.  Your  affectionate  mother, 

H.  B. 

Our  Mother,  was  a  skillful  needle-woman;  when 
an  unfortunate  rent  had  been  made  in  some  delicate- 
fabric,  no  hand  could  repair  and  conceal  the  defect 
better  than  her's.  We  brought  to  her  our  broken 
toys  to  mend  ;  and,  in  our  games,  she  would  even 
straighten  the  bent  pins  for  us.  Her  chamber  was- 
the  quiet,  peaceful  spot,  where  we  took  our  books  ta 
study  a  hard  lesson,  or  to  write  our  school  compo- 
sition. Frequently,  and  not  unwillingly,  we  shared 
with  her,  the  dainties  provided  specially  for  the  in- 
valid. I  Tow  many  daily  lessons  of  fortitude,  patience 
and  unselfish  devotion  to  God  and  duty,  her  holy 
example  taught  us  in  the  days  of  childhood. 

Years  after,  when  the  gentle  sufferer  was  with  her 
God,  we  found  a  pencilled  diary,  in  her  hand-writ- 
ing— it  was  a  revelation  to  us.  The  little  book  was 
intended  for  no  eye  but  her  own.  It  was  dated  from 
the  home  of  her  daughter,  Harriet,  (Mrs.  Haskell,} 
and  written  during  her  absence  from  her  husband. 
It  revealed  to  us,  the  strength  and  beauty  of  a  wife's 
devotion  to  her  husband — the  little  prayer  of  thanks- 
giving, recorded  when  she  had  been  comparatively 
free  from  pain  during  his  visits  to  her,  and  could  be 
a  helper,  not  a  hindrance,  to  him  in  his  arduous 
labors,  opened  to  our  view  a  singularly  pure  and 


Mrs.  Bach-man.  217 

useful  life.  She  never  objected  to  a  separation  from 
her  children,  when  it  was  for  their  pleasure  or  benefit, 
though  she  missed  them  sorely,  and  longed  for  their 
presence.  Which  of  us  could  forget  our  father's 
strict  and  repeated  injunctions  to  us  as  he  gave  the 
parting  kiss — "  Write  frequently,  my  child ;  remem- 
ber, if  you  neglect  to  do  so,  your  silence  will  make 
your  mother  anxious  and  unhappy."  It  was  no 
wonder  that  her  husband  and  family  loved  her 
with  almost  a  passionate  tenderness. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
AFFLICTION. 

DEATH  OF  MRS.  BACHM AN— LETTERS  TO  THE  FAMILY — LETTERS  TO- 
AUDUBON. 


I 


N  1846,  death  stealthily  entered  again  into  the 
home  of  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's, 
In  the  following  letter  he  gives  the  sad  details : 


To  HIS  DAUGHTERS,  HARRIET  AND  JULIA  : 

CHARLESTON,  July  16th,  1846. 

Yesterday,  I  announced  to  you  the  melancholy 
event  that  has  brought  sorrow  and  mourning  into- 
our  home,  and  rendered  it  very  desolate. 

I  was  not,  my  children,  without  the  hope  that 
your  mother  might  be  benefited  by  the  proposed 
trip  to  the  North,  that  she  was  anxious  to  under- 
take. 

We  were  providentially  detained  in  Charleston 
longer  than  we  intended,  in  consequence  of  no  vessel 
being  in  port.  On  Saturday  several  arrived,  and  on 
Monday  I  selected  a  state-room  in  the  "Carolina." 

On  Sunday  night  your  mother  awoke  with  ail 
attack  of  Ticdoloreaux.  About  2  A.  M.,  she  fell 
asleep;  but  I  could  not  sleep  from  agony  of  mind. 
I  felt  that  I  was  about  to  leave  my  poor  sufferer  at 
the  North,  without  knowing  if  I  should  ever  see  her 
again.  I  feared  to  move,  least  I  should  disturb  her; 
but  at  5  A.  M.,  when  I  rose,  she  was  sleeping  calmly. 


Death  of  Mrs.  Bachman.  21 9 

Breakfast  was  partly  over,  when,  to  ray  surprise, 
she  came  to  the  table ;  she  was  looking  very  feeble. 
After  breakfast,  I  told  her  that  I  was  going  to  select 
a  state-room  in  the  "Carolina,'*  she  assented.  Hav- 
ing made  my  selection,  and  visited  the  sick  in  my 
congregation,  I  returned  home  and  found  that  your 
mother,  in  my  absence,  had  suffered  from  a  severe 
attack  of  pain.  Dr.  Horlbeck  was  passing  our  house 
at  the  moment,  he  came  in,  and  himself  adminis- 
tered the  usual  dose  of  a  mild  anodyne.  I  left  the 
two  girls,  L.  and  C.,  with  their  mother,  while  I  lay 
down  to  take  a  little  rest.  I  awoke  about  4  o'clock 
P.  M. ;  she  was  still  sleeping.  I  felt  her  pulse ;  its 
weakness  alarmed  me.  Dr.  H.  was  summoned. 
She  never  revived,  and  at  7  P.  M.,  breathed  her  last, 
as  quietly  as  an  infant  falls  asleep.  God's  will  be 
done!  But  ah,  the  shock!  The  suddenness !  We 
were  all  stupefied.  I  know  she  is  at  rest  with  her 
God,  that  He  has  taken  her  to  His  own  peaceful  and 
joyful  kingdom.  But  our  home  is  lonely  and  my 
heart  desolate.  She  was  ever  a  loving  wife,  the 
soother  of  all  my  cares  and  sorrows. 

Dear  children,  you  know  how  fond  and  devoted 
a  mother  you  have  lost — one  that  watched  over 
your  interests,  and  gave  to  you,  next  to  her  God, 
her  thoughts  and  affections. 

Yet,  let  us  not  sorrow,  as  those  who  have  no  hope. 
Let  us  cherish  her  memory ;  imitate  her  virtues  ; 
her  love  of  duty  ;  her  purity  of  heart ;  her  integrity 
of  life,  and  her  love  to  her  God  and  Saviour. 

While  I  am  always  glad  to  have  my  children 
around  me;  yet  I  do  not  say,  "  Come  home" — that 
you  must  decide  upon  for  yourselves.  Just  yet,  you 
can  contribute  nothing  to  my  happiness — comfort 
must  first  come  from  a  higher  source.  I  shall  write 
often  to  you.  ****** 

J.  B. 


220  John  Bachman. 

To  HIS  DAUGHTER  JANE,  IN  NEW  YORK. 

CHARLESTON,  July  18th,  1846. 

"  I  wrote  you  two  days  ago.  My  mind  was  so 
confused  at  the  time,  that  I  cannot  recollect  dis- 
tinctly what  I  wrote.  *  *  * 

My  children  have  experienced  a  heavy  loss,  but 
ah  !  the  heaviest  falls  on  the  devoted  head  of  their 
father. 

Yet  it  is  God  who  rules  our  destiny  and  orders 
our  lot.  His  arm  reaches  from  heaven  to  earth. 
He  who  has  given  the  life  that  now  is,  has  also  left 
us  the  promise  of  that  which  is  to  come.  When  a 
few  years  shall  have  passed  away  He  will  send  his 
angels  to  call  us  home.  There  we  shall  meet  our 
Lord  in  the  peaceful  land,  where  sorrow,  sin,  and 
death  are  unknown.  There  our  loved  ones  will  be 
restored  to  us,  purified  from  all  imperfections  and 
wearing  the  crown  of  immortality. 

My  daughter,  cherish  these  high  hopes  of  our 
religion,  they  are  angels  of  Mercy  sent  to  guide  us 
through  the  storm,  and  to  lead  us  to  the  land  beyond 
death  and  the  grave. 

God  has  promised  never  to  leave  us,  or  to  forsake 
us.  It  is  true,  God  has  sent  death  into  our  family 
and  caused  our  hearts  to  bleed — but  then  it  was  the 
virtuous  dead,  who  died  in  the  Lord.  Has  he  not 
saved  us  from  dishonor  and  disgrace — evils  worse 
than  death  ? 

It  is  true,  that  we  ardently  desired  to  retain  our 
loved  one  here — sufferer  as  she  was — but,  was  it  not, 
after  all,  a  selfish  wish  ?  She  was  an  intense  suf- 
ferer— her  moments  of  rest  and  joy  were  few  and  far 
between.  Long  she  had  lingered  with  us—  at  length 
only  a  faint  shadow  of  what  she  once  was.  Then 
her  Maker  sent  her  a  gentle,  quiet  rest  from  all  her 
sorrows.  0  my  beloved,  sainted  wife,  may  your 


Words  of  Comfort.  221 

husband  learn  from  you,  patience,  gentleness,  and 
submission ! 

I  pray  for  submission  to  God's  will,  and  I  know 
that  He  will,  in  His  own  good  time,  enable  me  to 
say :  "  Although  the  fig  tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither 
shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines ;  the  labor  of  the  olive  shall 
fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat ;  the  flocks  shall 
be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the 
stalls  ;  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the 
God  of  my  salvation" 

My  daughter,  you  were  long  the  watchful,  faith- 
ful nurse  of  your  mother.  How  tenderly  and  cheer- 
fully you  performed  that  duty,  we  all  know  full 
well ;  and  your  mother's  loving  remembrances  of 
you,  proved  how  deeply  you  were  fixed  in  her  inmost 
affections.  Now,  when  you  place  your  head  on 
your  pillow,  or  bend  your  knee  in  prayer  before  the 
Majesty  of  heaven,  there  will  be  no  painful  reflec- 
tions of  filial  duty  neglected.  You  need  not  fear 
to  meet  the  spirit  of  your  mother  in  the  peaceful 
kingdom  of  your  blessed  Saviour. 

May  I  not  hope  to  hear  that  you  have  bowed  sub- 
missively to  this  call  from  a  merciful  God,  and  that 
you  have  been  enabled  to  say  "  Thy  will  be  done  /" 

All  join  me  in  love  to  you,  and  to  every  member 
of  the  Audubon  family.  *  *  *  * 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON  : 

JULY  18th,  1846. 

"  When  your  last  letter  reached  me,  I  hoped  that 
we  would  soon  converse  together  in  person,  and 
have  opportunities  to  solve  the  doubts  contained  in 
your  letter,  but  God  has  ordered  it  far  otherwise. 

In  God's  name,  try  to  comfort  our  poor,  dear  Jane  I 

*  *  *  *•  *  *  * 

I  am  bowed  down,  and   almost  distracted  with 
anxieties ;  the  latest  is,  that   HaskelPs  account  of 
10 


222  John  Bachman* 

Julia  makes  it  necessary  for  me  to  go  to  her.  I  will 
leave  in  the  morning's  train.  In  a  few  days  I  shall 
let  you  know  my  further  movements.  *  *  *  * 

To  HIS  DAUGHTER  JANE,  NEW  YORK  : 

CHARLESTON,  July  22nd. 

I  have  just  returned  from  Totness,  where  I  went 
in  haste  on  Sunday  morning  to  see  Julia  ;  who,  on 
hearing  of  our  sudden  loss,  fell  into  a  swoon,  and, 
on  recovery,  her  mind  wandered.  When  I  reached 
Lewisville,  where  the  cars  left  me,  I  found  no  con- 
veyance, so  I  walked  the  six  miles.  It  was  a  cool 
day,  and  I  felt  no  inconvenience  from  the  long  and 
unaccustomed  walk.  They  had  not  expected  me  on 
Sunday  morning,  so  had  not  sent  for  me  to  the  rail- 
road. 

Harriet's  good  husband,  their  lovely  boy,  and  her 
family  cares,  diverted  her  mind  from  the  poignancy 
of  grief ;  but  to  our  poor  Julia,  it  was  the  one  and 
all-engrossing  subject.  She  was  so  much  better 
when  I  reached  Totness,  that  to  my  surprise,  she 
came  to  meet  me.  In  her  chamber,  I  saw  religious 
books;  judging  from  the  passages  marked,  she  is 
perusing  them  carefully. 

Thinking  that  there  would  be  less  to  remind  her 
continually  of  the  loss  where  she  is,  than  if  I  took 
her  home,  I  proposed  to  her  to  remain  with  Harriet 
for  the  present,  and  she  has  consented.  I  have  a 
season  ticket  on  the  railroad,  and  shall  go  up  once  a 
week. 

Our  friends  are  very  kind  and  attentive  to  us, 
and  if  sympathy  can  afford  relief,  surely  we  shall 
find  it. 

My  mind  is  peculiarly  constituted  ;  in  grief,  I  like 
to  be  alone.  In  solitude,  I  can  learn  the  path  of 
duty,  and  plan  how  to  regulate  my  feelings,  and 


Duty.  223 

govern  my  conduct,  then,  f  am  generally  able  to 
rise  from  despondency  and  to  look  to  God  for  aid 
and  strength  to  go  on  in  the  performance  of  duty. 
I  was  prepared  to  preach  last  Sunday,  but  was  pre- 
vented by  the  sudden  call  into  the  country.  This 
evening,  (Tuesday)  I  have  had  my  usual  lecture,, 
and  was  able  to  perform  the  whole  service. 

July  26th,  (Monday). 

Julia  has  written  to  us ;  she  is  still  much  depressed ; 
I  must  go  to  Haskell's  and  try  to  cheer  her  as  well 
as  I  can. 

We  heard  yesterday  from  Wilson.  He  wrote  a 
sensible  letter,  full  of  feeling.  Mr.  Lee,  (his  teacher) 
proposed  to  him  that  he  should  dispense  with  his 
lessons  for  a  few  days ;  but  he  answered  that  he 
thought,  if  his  mother  were  here,  she  would  advise 
him  not  to  stop  his  studies,  and  he  continued  his 
recitations  in  his  class.  He  promises  to  try  to  do 
everything  that  his  mother  would  desire.  Wm. 
and  C.  are  studying  their  lessons  preparatory  to 
going  to  school.  L.  is  not  well  enough  yet,  to  go 
out.  I  am  sorry  to  see  symptoms  of  dyspepsia  in 
one  so  young. 

Yesterday  I  preached  twice.  I  went  with  a  heavy 
heart ;  but  God  supported  me.  I  pray  God  to  bear 
you  up  in  His  arms  of  love,  and  to  enable  you  to 
bow  to  His  divine  dispensations. 

I  am  ready,  my  dear  Jane,  to  comply  with  your 
wishes  in  regard  to  your  return.  I  have  written  to 
Doctor  Trudeau  to  get  his  opinion ;  he  will  deter- 
mine if  you  may  come  at  once,  or  wait  until  cooler 
weather;  your  interest  and  your  wishes  shall  be 
consulted.  My  love  to  all  the  Audubons,  especially 
to  the  children. 

Your  affectionate  father, 

J.  B. 


224  John  Bachman. 

CHARLESTON,  July  27th,  1840. 

I  thank  my  God,  my  daughter,  that  you  have 
been  enabled  to  view  this  affliction  in  its  true  light. 
I  am  surprised  now,  that  I  did  not  foresee  the  sad 
event ;  the  night  before  her  death,  she  told 
me  that  I  would  not  have  her  with  me  much 
longer.  God,  in  His  mercy,  saved  her  from  the 
pain  and  consciousness  of  the  parting  hour.  God 
bless  you  and  comfort  you. 

July  15th. 

"It  is  Saturday,  and  I  am  as  usual,  much  engaged; 
yet,  I  cannot  feel  that  my  duties  are  discharged 
until  I  have  written  to  you. 

Yesterday,  I  returned  from  Totness  ;  I  spent  one 
day  there  and  consumed  two  others  in  going  and  re- 
turning. Haskell  sent  for  all  the  family.  I  have 
taken  them  to  Totness,  and  I  hope  that  the  change  of 
air,  scenery,  and  society,  may  be  beneficial  to  them — 
they  needed  a  change. 

I  am  alone  at  home.  I  think  I  feel  better,  when 
110  one  interrupts  me,  and  I  sit  in  my  quiet  corner, 
preparing  for  my  many  duties  and  responsibilities. 
Yet,  if  I  had  you  all  with  me  once  again,  and  all 
quite  well,  I  should  draw  around  me  the  materials 
for  happiness  that  are  still  left.  I  am  looking  up  to 
our  heavenly  Father  to  sanctify  this  affliction  to  us, 
and  to  shed  peace  and  comfort  on  our  lives.  May 
God  in  His  mercy  guard,  preserve,  and  bless  us.  * 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON  : 

November  5th,  1846. 

This  is  Thanksgiving-day.  It  is  raining,  blowing 
and  snorting  as  if  old  Boreas,  Neptune,  and  all  the 
sea-devils  had  combined  to  frighten  the  wicked  in- 


Thanksgiving-Day.  225 

habitants  of  Terra-firma.  Well,  they  say  that  "  it  is 
an  ill  wind  that  blows  nobody  any  good,"  so,  after 
preaching  to  about  twenty  half-drowned  people,  I 
am  seated  by  the  fire,  ready,  without  fear  of  inter- 
ruption, to  write  you  the  names  of  your  recent 
drawings.  *  *  * 

There  are  the  five — all  plain  sailing ;  the  sixth, 
friend — here  is  no  fun. 

Short-tailed  Marmot.  By  some  unaccountable  mis- 
take I  never  saw  the  specimen  in  London.  I  am 
mortified.  Lewis  &  Clarke  mention,  but  do  not 
describe  it.  Short-tailed  is  an  improper  name;  its 
tail  is  longer  than  many  others.  Now,  we  are  to 
describe  it ;  but  not  without  a  close  examination  of 
the  specimen.  John  has  access  to  it  in  London. 
Waterhouse  will  verify  his  measurements ;  but  let 
him  not  hint,  that  it  has  not  yet  been  described,  as 
those  Zoological  boys,  would  name  it  an  hour  after- 
wards. Meanwhile,  let  Victor  send  me  an  outline  of 
the  drawing,  dabbling  on  it  a  little  of  the  colors,  to 
give  me  an  idea  of  it.  0,  that  I  had  wings  just  for 
an  hour,  that  would  carry  meat  telegraphic  speed  to 
London,  to  see  the  specimen  for  myself  ! — but  here 
I  am  seated,  without  wings.  Write  at  once  to  John. 

The  second  and  third  proofs  have  come  to  hand. 
I  have  received  the  opinion  of  the  post-master.  We 
are  allowed  to  write  corrections  and  additions  to  our 
proof-sheets. 

We  wrote  you  of  Jane's  safe  arrival.  She  cannot 
say  enough  of  your  kindness  to  her  and  your 
thoughtfulness  of  her  comfort.  Harriet  and  Haskell 
both  have  been  ill  with  fever.  I  brought  them 
home  with  me ;  they  are  well  enough  to  be  down 
stairs  to-day.  Julia's  health  continues  very  delicate. 

P.  S. — To  AUDUBON  :  The  snuff— the  snuff,  it  is 
here!  I  have  just  taken  a  pinch,  and  the  ladies 


226  John  Bachman. 

have  blown  you  up — sky-high,  for  teaching  me  such 
-a  bad  practice ;  I  say,  however,  that  you  beat  me 
all  to  pieces  in  that  art.  Love  to  all,  especially, 
to  my  little  pussies,  Lucy  and  Harriet.  God  bless 
you/  *  * 

To  AUDUBON  : 

March  13th,  1847. 

I  am  seated  at  daylight  ready  to  write  you,  but 
I  am  not  sure  that  you  deserve  a  letter — are  you  all 
frozen  up,  or  only  lazy  ? 

At  last  the  letter-press  has  been  received,  and  the 
review  of  the  first  volume.  The  printing  of  the 
former  is  excellent.  I  could  review  it  and  row  the 
authors  up  Salt  River.  There  is  something  in  Mrs. 
Glass'  (Cookery-book),  Boil  your  fish  after  you  have 
caught  him,  and  something  of  old  Squib,  (the 
gradener),  Put  on  some  well  rotted  manure — if  you 
have  any.  However,  I  only  hope  that  the  Second 
Volume  may  contain  as  much  information  as  the 
first.  The  review  is  quite  clever ;  the  man  knows 
more  of  the  history  of  American  naturalists  than  I 
thought.  He  gives  us  old  men  rather  too  much 
butter  and  sugar — gives  a  thundering  broadside  into 
DeKay,  and  abuses  Harlan  a  little  too  much. 

Of  late,  I  have  spent  money,  and  given  much 
trouble  to  my  friends  in  obtaining  Opossums — by 
the  twenties.  I  should  like  to  reward  the  hard 
laborers  with  books — for  this  purpose  I  have  taken 
twelve  copies,  and  should  like  to  have  six  more. 

I  have  two  new  subscribers  for  you,  (the  copies 
must  be  bound  handsomely),  viz  :  for  The  Charles- 
ton Library  Society  and  Hon.  Mitchell  King. 

I  send  you  to-day,  by  the  Brig  "  George"  a  Wild- 
turkey.  I  have  carefully  kept  her,  doctored  her 
warts,  and  she  looks  pretty  well,  only  her  wing- 


A  Shadow.  227 

feathers  have  come  out  white.     I  also  send  a  box  of 
rose-trees  for  the  ladies. 

P.  S. — a  cold  North  wind  has  sprung  up  ;  I  shall 
not  send  the  turkey  and  the  roses  until  wind  and 
weather  change.  *  *  ^ria,  the  girls  and  child- 
ren all  send  love ;  they  are  well,  excepting  my 
daughter  Julia. 

J.  B. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
FATHER  A$D  DAUGHTER. 

WHEN  John  Haskell  realized  that  a  fatal  disease 
was  daily  weakening  the  cords  of  his  life,  and 
that  another  hand  was  to  write  the  Biography  of  his 
Grandfather — a  work  that  his  heart  craved  to  be 
permitted  to  accomplish,  he  wrote  to  his  aunt, 
C.  L.  B. 

"I  have  ceased  to  expect,  or  to  hope  for  recovery; 
I  am  changing  the  hope  of  earthly  life,  to  the  greater 
hope  of  eternal  life.  You  may  have  to  write  the 
Biography.  I  would,  in  that  event,  say,  that  it  was 
my  intention  to  devote  a  chapter  to  the  beautiful 
life  and  death  of  my  Aunt  Julia.  I  find  many 
letters  relating  to  her  in  my  grandfather's  own  hand- 
writing (and  others) ;  use  them.  Thus  her  exquisite 
life — the  result  of  his — for  she  was  his  daughter, 
may  be  told  incidentally  in  his  own  words." 

There  are  wonderful  histories  written  and  graven 
on  human  souls,  many  of  these  will  be  revealed  only 
in  the  light  of  eternity,  but,  in  the  following  pages, 
the  Pastor  of  St.  John's  opens  his  soul  to  the  reader. 
He  has  thrown  on  the  canvass  a  life  picture,  that 
needs  no  coloring  from  fancy  or  fiction. 

We  have  before  alluded  to  the  beauty  of  Julia, 
(Dr.  Bachrnan's  fourth  daughter) — a  beauty  of  coun- 
tenance and  a  grace  of  form  seldom  found  combined. 


Julia  M.  Bachman.  229* 

With  his  high  thoughts,  he  felt  that  any  special 
gift  was  a  talent,  that  called  for  a  special  consecra- 
tion of  the  same  to  the  Giver.  His  elder  daughters, 
when  they  were  of  ripe  age,  had  rejoiced  to  renew 
the  baptismal  vows  made  for  them  in  infancy. 

With  the  same  teachings,  under  the  same  in- 
fluences, how  was  it  with  Julia?  He  was  jealous  for 
his  Lord;  not  the  world,  hut  the  Master,  should 
have  the  sweet  freshness  of  her  youth.  With  watch- 
ful eye  and  prayerful  thought,  he  followed  her  day 
by  day.  Frequently  he  attempted  to  draw  aside  the 
veil  of  reserve  and  timidity  that  concealed  from  him 
her  heart,  and  her  mind ;  yet  all  his  efforts  appeared 
to  him  not  only  unsuccessful,  but  every  new  failure 
seemed  to  add  another  fold  to  the  veil  that  hid  the 
inner  sanctuary  from  his  eager  gaze. 

She  was  twenty  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her 
mother's  death.  From  that  date  the  family  letters 
contain  allusions  to  her  failing  health. 

Her  father  wrote  to  John  Audubon : 

June  19th,  1847. 

I  have  been  suffering  with  an  inflammation  in 
my  eyes — they  feel  as  if  they  had  sand  in  them.  I 
have  pressed  Sister  Maria  into  service.  I  am  seated 
with  a  patch  on  each  eye,  while  I  dictate  this  answer 
to  your  letter,  I  am  not  gloomy,  only  hoping  lor 
more  light,  better  eyes,  and  better  times.  *  *  * 

Before  entering  into  the  perplexing  part  of  the 
letter — the  naming  of  the  species — I  must  speak  of 
family  affairs,  Julia's  health  has  failed  steadily.  I 
took  her,  as  you  know,  to  Aiken  for  a  few  weeks. 
Her  cough  is  distressing,  and  she  has  fever  every 


230  John  Bachman. 

day.  In  a  couple  of  weeks  I  shall  take  her  to  the 
Virginia  Springs.  Her  aunt  Maria  and  her  sister 
L.  will  accompany  her.  I  expect  to  go  with  them 
as  protector,  and  remain  with  them  three  or  four 
weeks.  *  *  * 

RICHMOND,  July  10th. 

We  have  advanced  thus  far  on  our  weary,  anx- 
ious journey.  The  physicians  were  hopeful,  but  my 
views  of  Julia's  case  are  unfavorable.  I  notice  that 
she  speaks  continually  as  if  hopeless  of  recovery.  I 
try  to  cheer  her. 

My  eyes  will  not  permit  me  to  write  more.  Direct 
to  the  Red  Sulphur  Springs,  Virginia. 

To  JOHN  AND  VICTOR  AUDUBON  : 

RED  SULPHUR  SPRINGS,  July  28th,  1847. 

Your  and  Victor's  letters  we  found  waiting  for  us 
here. 

We  have  had  a  fatiguing  and  sad  journey  over 
these  rough  mountains.  Julia  was  so  weak  that  we 
were  compelled  to  rest  a  week  at  the  Salt  Sulphur, 
another  at  the  Sweet  Springs,  and  a  few  days  at  the 
White  Sulphur.  I  will  not  pain  you  by  giving  a 
detail  of  our  adventures,  anxieties,  and  sufferings. 
I  came  to  gratify  her  wishes.  Alas !  the  shadow  of  a 
hope  that  I  had  entertained  is  vanishing.  I  scarcely 
dare  turn  my  mind  towards  the  weeks  that  are  to 
follow  this. 

Continue  to  write  and  send  us  a  newspaper  or  two. 
We  have  none  here,  and  I  feel  almost  cut  off  from 
the  world. 

Every  one  seems  full  of  sympathy  and  kindness. 
We  have  good  medical  aid,  nurses  and  friends.  My 
eyes  have  improved. 

I  am  looking  out  of  my  window  on  the  grand, 


Julia  M.  Bachman.  231 

romantic  and  lovely  scene  before  me,  in  this  sweet 
valley,  surrounded*  by  mountains,  covered  to  their 
highest  peaks  with  rich  and  varied  foliage.  In  the 
buildings  around  me  what  a  contrast ! — night  and 
day  I  hear  coughing. 

I  meet  with  pallid  faces,  and  see  on  many  a  cheek 
the  hectic  flush.  How  terrible  is  consumption !  It 
seizes  with  a  deadly  hold,  weakens  the  cords  of  life, 
day  by  day  ;  and  only  relinquishes  its  fatal  grasp 
when  life  is  extinct.  How  sad  to  see  this  beautiful 
garden  of  earth,  disfigured  by  graves  and  monu- 
ments of  the  dead.  But  so  it  is ;  and  man,  the 
child  of  the  dust,  must  .bow  submissively  to  the  will 
of  heaven. 

August  2d. 

The  shadow  of  hope  which  I  sought  to  indulge  in 
has  given  place  to  the  saddest  of  realities  ;  disease  is 
sapping  away  the  fountain  of  life — our  Julia  will 
never  leave  the  mountains  alive. 

I  have  received  all  your  letters,  but  I  do  not  feel 
able  to  reply  to  them, 

All  send  love1. 

August  10th. 

Since  I  last  wrote,  hope  has  arisen  anew  in  my 
heart.  Four  days  ago  Julia  revived,  and  with  a 
little  assistance  was  able  to  walk  about  the  room ; 
this  slight  improvement  has  fed  our  hopes.  She  has 
little  appetite,  but  likes  birds.  I  have  shot  for  her 
pheasants,  ruffled  grouse  and  partridges;  but  all 
birds  are  scarce  in  the  mountains;  sometimes  I  walk 
or  ride  six  or  seven  miles,  without  meeting  even  a 
sparrow.  Animal  life  seems  almost  absent  on  these 
mountains ;  I  scarcely  hear  the  hum  of  an  insect. 
How  sad  this  place  is  to  me !  It  is  thronged  with 
coughers,  there  is  around  us  every  form  of  disease, 
and  we  are  daily  distressed  by  sad  sights  and  melan- 


232  John  Bookman. 

choly  tidings — the  very  music  sounds  to  me  like  a 
dirge. 

Gen.  McD.,  of  this  State,  and  the  P  —  n's,  of  Co- 
lumbia, are  here  on  a  visit  to  their  sister,  Mrs.  McD., 
who  lies  ill  in  the  room  adjoining  our's,  and  we  have 
their  attentions  and  sympathies. 

If  Julia  could  gain  strength  enough  to  travel 
very  slowly  over  these  mountains,  we  might  yet 
take  her  to  her  home, 

May  God  direct  and  aid  us,  and  give  us  fortitude 
to  bear  the  heavy  impending  bereavement. 

Many  of  the  visitors  at  the  Red  Sulphur  would 
willingly  have  accompanied  Dr.  Bachman  in  his 
tramps  after  game  for  his  daughter,  but  they  saw  that 
to  weary  himself  in  her  service  helped  his  sad  heart. 

The  children  were  on  the  watch  for  his  return, 
and  would  run  to  the  foot  of  the  hill  to  bring  home 
the  birds  for  him,  and  were  well  pleased  to  get  in 
return  a  pleasant  word  or  smile.  They  would 
linger  around,  too,  if  the  carriage  stood  at  his  cot- 
tage door,  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  his  daughter's  lovely 
face. 

The  beauty  that  attracted  so  much  attention  has 
been  described  thus : 

"Features  regular  and  classic;  complexion  fair 
and  transparent ;  hair  of  a  rich  brown,  worn  in  light 
curls ;  eyes  full  and  expressive — a  true  grey  (always 
changeful  in  color) ;  the  mouth  delicate  and  well 
formed."  But  a  face  like  hers,  when  lighted  up  by 
the  soul,  possesses  a  spiritual  beauty,  that  neither 
brush  nor  pen  could  ever  portray. 

Soon  a  day  came  when  the  invalid  was  too  weak 


Julia  M.  Bachman.  233 

to  take  her  accustomed  drive.  Her  father  saw  her 
losing  ground  day  by  day.  He  noted,  besides,  her 
ever  increasing  watchfulness  over  those  at  her  bed- 
side, in  her  anxiety  lest  prolonged  vigils  should  ex- 
haust their  strength.  As  he  read  to  her  the  Word  of 
God,  he  eagerly  marked  her  rapt  attention  and  the 
tender  light  in  her  eyes;  yet,  as  a  Minister  of  God, 
he  craved  fuller  evidence  that  her  heart  was  en- 
tirely fixed  upon  her  God  and  Saviour. 

August  22d,  1847. 

My  dear  Children — There  has  not  been  for  an 
hour  since  I  last  wrote,  a  favorable  symptom  in  our 
beloved  Julia's  disease.  Dr.  Burke  has  watched 
with  us,  at  her  bedside,  night  after  night.  We  have 
seen  her  poor  frame  slowly  wasting  away  from 
suffering,  She  is  yet  lingering  on  these  mortal 
shores ;  but  we  cannot  expect  to  have  her  with  us, 
for  many  days  longer.  *  * 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON. 

August  29th. 

Alas,  the  only  change  is  for  the  worse.  It  grati- 
fied our  poor  invalid  to  have  birds,  and  I  travelled 
miles  daily  through  the  mountains  to  procure  them  ; 
now  she  cannot  eat  them — my  occupation  is  gone, 
I  have  no  employment,  and  seem  daily  less  fitted  for 
any.  God  help  us  in  our  sorrows  ! 

I  still  cherished  the  hope  that  we  might  have  the 
satisfaction  of  removing  her  to  our  peaceful  home. 
Now  I  know  that  I  must  abandon  it  wholly.  * 

As  the  deepest,  highest  love  ever  desires  to  man- 
ifest itself  in  service  to  the  beloved,  the  very  diffi- 
culty he  experienced  in  procuring  game,  among  the 


23 1  John  Bacliman. 

bare  mountains,  to  tempt  his  daughter's  failing  appe- 
tite, was  to  him  a  source  of  satisfaction ;  now  he 
writes  gloomily — "  My  occupation  is  gone,  I  have  no 
employment  left."  Thus  we  oft-times  cry,  while  the 
Master  is  but  preparing  us,  for  nobler  duties  and 
far  higher  service. 

RED  SULPHUR  SPRINGS,  Monday,  Sept.  6th,  1847. 

My  dear  Children — My  last  letter  detailed  to  you 
the  hopeless,  almost  dying  condition  of  our  beloved 
Julia. 

O!  how  I  have  wished,  that  when  this  hour  came, 
she  might  be  in  her  own  blessed  home,  and  close 
her  eyes,  in  the  midst  of  her  loved  ones,  and  be  laid 
to  rest,  at  the  side  of  her  gentle,  sainted  mother. 

Dear  Julia,  I  find,  had  long  been  deeply  concerned 
with  regard  to  her  religious  state,  and  had  sought 
the  light  of  God's  Word  with  prayer. 

1  had  left  my  home,  my  other  children  and  other 
duties,  to  devote  myself  to  her.  I  had  brought  her 
over  these  rugged  mountains,  carrying  her  in  my 
arms  in  and  out  of  the  carriage.  I  had  guarded  her 
cabin  from  noise  and  intrusion;  and,  now,  it  was 
my  duty,  to  instruct  and  to  aid  her  in  her  search 
after  perfect  peace.  Fervently  we  prayed  together, 
and  long  we  wept.  Still  she  desired  more  light, 
greater  assurance  of  forgiveness,  and  stronger  evi- 
dence of  God's  mercy.  Our  prayers  have  now  all 
been  heard.  Yesterday  was  a  blessed  Sabbath  to  us. 
Through  the  mercy  of  Him  who  died  for  her  on  the 
cross,  she  has  found  hope,  comfort,  peace  and  joy. 
For  hours  yesterday,  she  spoke  of  the  past,  the 
present,  and  the  future.  Her  eyes  were  bright  and 
her  mind  clear  ;  her  perceptions  keen  and  her  judg- 
ment strong ;  her  words  were  submissive  and  her 


Julia  M.  Bachman.  235 

prayers  fervent.  Her  whole  soul  was  so  full  of  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  mercy  of  her  Saviour,  that  she 
seemed,  almost  to  forget  her  great  sufferings.  The 
fear  of  death  was  entirely  removed,  and  she  triumph- 
antly exclaimed,  l>0!  death  where  is  thy  sting,  0  !  grave 
where  is  thy  victory  !  Thanks  be  unto  God  who  giveth 
us  the  victory  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord!'  We  all 
united  in  the  Holy  Communion.  The  tender  mess- 
ages of  love  she  sent  to  each  of  you,  will  be  detailed 
to  you  by  your  aunt  and  sister. 

She  began  with  "  my  dear  sister  Jane,"  and  ended 
with  "  dear  brother  (W.  E.  Haskell),  who  was  so 
very  kind  to  me  when  my  mother  died,  and  prayed 
for  me,  when  I  could  not  pray  for  myself  and  was 
ready  to  despair."  I  have  no  words  to  express  the 
propriety  of  her  thoughts  and  the  fond  devotion  of 
her  language. 

Yes,  there  is  a  .solemn  reality  in  religion  that 
effects  a  change  in  the  whole  mind  and  heart,  and 
brings  under  its  influence  every  thought,  word,  and 
action.  This  seems  to  be  realized  here.  All  music 
is  hushed.  Many  sympathizing  friends  are  stand- 
ing around  our  ^cottage  weeping;  and  a  solemnity 
and  stillness  reigns  throughout  this  hitherto  noisy 
and  thoughtless  throng. 

Will  you  not,  my  dear  children,  seek  for  that 
religious  knowledge  and  firm  faith,  that  sustained 
your  departed  sisters  in  their  last  hours  of  trial,  and 
enabled  your  meek  and  gentle  mother  to  pass 
through  the  world  loving  and  beloved.  Let  their 
Saviour  be  our  Saviour,  and  their  heaven  our  ever- 
lasting home. 

With  love  to  all.  *  *  *  *  J.  B. 

SEPTEMBER  18th,  1847. 

I  detailed  to  you  daily,  my  dear  children,  Julia's 
bodily  condition  and  her  peaceful  frame  of  mind. 


236  John  Bochman. 

When  I  closed  my  letter  on  Monday  evening,  neither 
Dr.  Burke,  her  kind  physician,  nor  myself,  believed 
that  our  beloved  Julia  had  strength  remaining  to 
survive  through  the  night.  T  was  more  than  satis- 
fied with  her  state  of  preparation  for  the  approach- 
ing event,  and  prayed  for  her  removal  in  the  same 
peaceful,  hopeful  and  confiding  frame  of  mind. 

Her  paroxysms  of  pain  were  frequent,  but  she 
would  rest  afterwards  with  her  eyes  closed.  At  day- 
light, as  I  sat  by  her  bedside,  she  breathed  so  softly 
that  for  an  hour  I  listened,  expecting  to  hear  her 
last  sigh.  She  opened  her  eyes.  "  Father, '  she  said, 
"  I  am  ready  now  for  the  morning  prayer ;  "  and  as 
we  prayed,  she  repeated  my  words.  When  I  had 
concluded,  she  begged  me  to  lie  down  and  rest.  To 
please  her  I  left  the  room.  An  hour  later  she  called 
for  me.  "  Father,"  she  whispered,  "  You  remember 
Miss  C.  S.,  who  was  so  kind  to  me  at  Aiken ;  who 
came  every  day  to  comfort  me,  and,  by  her  words 
and  example,  to  remind  me  of  my  duty  to  God  ? 
AYhen  you  return  to  Charleston,  tell  her  how  grate- 
fully I  remember  her  kindness,  and  tell  her  that  the 
friend  with  whom  she  sympathized  so  deeply,  is 
more  happy  on  her  deathbed  than  she  can  find 
words  to  describe."  She  asked  for  her  dear  sister  L., 
and  the  scene  of  tenderness  and  love  exhibited  was 
overpowering.  She  detailed  in  language  appro- 
priate, her  convictions  from  time  to  time ;  her  sub- 
sequent coldness  of  heart ;  her  prayers  and  her  fears, 
amounting  almost  to  despair.  She  told  of  the  grad- 
ual steps  by  which  the  Almighty  hand  had  led  her 
to  see  her  need  of  a  Saviour,  and  the  light  that  broke 
in  upon  her  mind ;  the  assurances  of  pardon  and 
the  bright  hopes  that  raised  her  above  the  fear  of 
death.  She  called  down  upon  her  sister  L.,  her 
watchful  nurse  and  companion,  the  choicest  mercies 
of  heaven.  She  spoke  of  the  joyful  meeting  with 


Julia  M.  Bach  man.  237 

mother  and  sisters  that  awaited  her.  She  was  by  this 
time  greatly  exhausted.  I  bade  her  close  her  eyes 
and  try  to  rest.  She  obeyed  and  slept  about  half 
an  hour.  She  opened  her  eyes,  a  thought  had  come 
into  her  mind  ;  "  Father/'  she  said,  "  Should  one,  so 
much  blest  as  I  have  been,  spend  an  hour  in  slum- 
ber ?  Should  not  every  moment  of  the  short  rem- 
nant of  life  be  spent  in  praising  my  blessed  Re- 
deemer?" When  I  told  her  that  nature  required 
repose,  she  assented.  A  little  later,  "  Father,  when 
the  time  comes,  you  must  pray  with  me,  I  wish  to 
go  to  heaven  borne  on  the  wings  of  my  father's 
prayers."  The  thought  was  original  and  beautiful, 
as  well  as  tender  and  confiding.  She  had  paroxysms 
of  pain,  and  at  intervals  slight  wanderings  of  mind. 
We  moistened  her  lips,  and  she  became  quiet  and 
composed.  She  was  evidently  dying;  once  more 
she  spoke  :  "  My  time  has  come.  Now,  father,  now 
pray."  Her  hands  were  clasped,  and  her  eyes,  full 
of  animation  and  hope,  were  raised  with  an  intently 
fixed  gaze  toward  heaven.  I  looked  upon  her  face, 
the  spirit  had  departed,  and  that  broken  prayer, 
begun  for  the  dying,  ended  in  imploring  mercy  and 
compassion  for  the  stricken  members  of  her  house- 
hold. Dr.  Burke,  her  kind,  intelligent  physician, 
was  supporting  her  head,  and  he  closed  her  eyes. 
In  death  her  face  was  like  that  of  an  angel,  but  her 
short  religious  life  was  brighter  still.  O  my  chil- 
dren, will  you  not  profit  by  this  lesson  ! 

TO   THE   AUDUBONS  I 

Yesterday,  (Tuesday,  September,  7th),  at  two 
o'clock,  our  dear  Julia,  the  object  of  our  pride,  and 
recently  of  our  loving  sympathy  and  unwearied 
watching,  was  called  to  her  peaceful  rest.  Her 
body  will  be  interred  this  afternoon. 

I  have  written  down  her  messages  to  you  all,  en- 


238  John  Bachman. 

deavoring  to  use  her  own  words,  but  the  love  that 
shone  in  her  countenance,  and  the  fervor  of  the  soft 
and  gentle  tones  of  her  voice,  no  language  can 
convey. 

For  some  time  before  her  death  she  had  expected 
the  event  and  sought,  by  the  help  of  God,  to  prepare 
for  it.  Yet,  she  concealed  her  impression  from  us, 
for  fear  of  giving  us  pain.  When  she  disclosed  her 
mind  to  me,  I  found  that  she  had  already  advanced 
far  in  the  Christian  life.  She  lost  every  fear  of 
death,  and  her  hopes  became  brighter  and  brighter. 
"She  was  waiting,"  she  said,  "for  the  joyful  hour, 
when  her  Saviour  would  call  her  to  His  blessed 
arms."  Her  natural  reserve  and  timidity  were 
thrown  off.  There  was  a  purity  of  thought  and  a 
propriety  of  language,  that  indicated  that  we  had 
never  sufficiently  appreciated  the  powers  of  her 
mind.  Her  aunt  Maria  likened  it  to  inspiration. 
While  still  on  earth  she  seemed  to  partake  of  the 
angelic  character.  I  have  never  witnessed  in  my 
long  ministry  so  triumphant  a  death. 

We  are,  as  you  may  suppose,  worn  with  watching 
and  sorrow,  and  will,  therefore,  linger  for  a  week  at 
"  Blue  Sulphur  "  for  rest. 

Think  not  that  grief  has  unmanned  me.  I  trust 
in  God,  and  I  will  not  repine.  My  energies  will 
soon  be  restored,  and  I  shall  seek  to  perform  the 
manifold  duties  that  are  yet  enjoined  upon  me. 

The  departed  had  said  to  Dr.  Burke,  "  Promise 
not  to  give  me  anodynes  to  deaden  pain ;  I  would 
far  rather  bear  the  greatest  suffering,  than  to  have 
my  intellect  clouded  in  the  smallest  degree;"  and  to 
her  Father,  "  Remember,  bury  me  here ;  do  not  take 
my  body  over  these  rough,  steep  mountains,  it  is  un- 
necessary trouble  and  expense.  I  can  rest  here  just 


Julia  M.  Bachman.  239 

as  well — and  when  my  Lord  comes,  He  will  know 
where  to  find  me ;  and  I  shall  hear  and  know  His 
voice,  and  rise  to  meet  Him." 

TO    HIS    DAUGHTER  JANE  : 

RED  SULPHER  SPRINGS,  September  10th,  1847. 

My  dear  beloved  Daughter :  My  letters  addressed 
to  Haskell  and  Wm.,  (his  son)  detailed  to  you  the 
peaceful  and  triumphant  close  of  our  dear  Julia's 
life.  The  mails  are  very  irregular,  still  I  hope  they 
came  to  hand  in  due  time. 

Our  beloved  Julia  was  interred  in  the  Cemetery 
at  this  place  yesterday,  at  2  P.  M.  Several  Carolin- 
ians, I  perceived,  had  found  a  resting  place  near  the 
spot.  The  funeral  services  were  performed  and  an 
address  .delivered  by  a  Presbyterian  Clergyman, 
Rev.  Mr.  Cunningham.  Nearly  all  the  visitors  at 
the  Springs  were  present. 

I  have  had  the  body  enclosed  in  a  double  case,  as 
we  may,  in  the  future,  deem  it  best  to  remove  it.  I 
have  just  returned  from  paying  my  last  sad  visit  to 
the  spot  where  our  beloved  Julia  rests ;  the  Cemetery 
is  two  miles  from  the  Springs ;  but  I  felt  that,  in  all 
human  probability.  I  should  never  be  here  again. 
It  is  now  half  past  5  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  I  devote  the 
few  moments  left  me  before  we  begin  our  homeward 
journey,  in  writing  to  my  dear,  devoted  and  much 
loved  daughter. 

My  duty  to  the  departed  has  now  been  performed, 
as  far  as  I  was  able  ;  and  I  will  try  to  give  my  re- 
maining strength  and  energies  to  those  who  are  still 
left  to  me,  and  to  the  other  manifold  duties  of  my 
life. 

The  regular  line  of  stages  has  been  discontinued, 
and  we  find  that  it  will  only  be  in  our  power  to  go  to 


240  John  Bachman. 

the  Blue  Sulpher.  There  we  shall  be  able  to  find 
retirement.  Your  aunt  and  L.,  both  need  to  recruit 
and  gain  strength  for  our  fatiguing  homeward 
journey  over  the  mountains ;  we  will  return  by  the 
way  of  the  White  Sulpher,  through  Staunton  and 
Charlotteville  to  Richmond.  We  may  not  be  with 
you  sooner  than  two  or  three  weeks  hence.  I  must 
nurse  up  my  poor  sufferers.  In  the  meantime,  do  not 
make  yourselves  uneasy  about  them.  They  are 
better  this  morning,  and  are  packing  up  for  the 
journey.  I  have  just  inquired  and  find  that  they 
passed  a  comfortable  night.  Dr.  Burke,  our  very  kind 
physician,  goes  with  us,  and  I  trust  that  the  accounts 
you  will  receive  of  our  further  journey  may  be  en- 
couraging. I  would  not  have  my  children  to  mourn 
over-much  for  the  happy  dead. 

Not  until  our  Julia's  last  days  on  earth,  did  I 
learn  her  deep  thoughts  on  religious  subjects,  and 
her  clear  views  of  the  plan  of  salvation.  I  had 
watched  over  Julia  with  deep  concern,  and  fervently 
I  had  prayed  for  His  spiritual  peace  to  comfort  her. 
Wlien  the  end  came,  I  rejoiced  over  her  unshaken 
faith  and  trust  in  the  merits  of  her  Saviour.  Her 
perfect  submission,  and  her  exalted  hopes,  exceeded 
by  far,  anything  I  had  ever  witnessed.  The  part- 
ing scenes — the  invoking  of  blessings — the  beauty 
of  her  countenance — the  brightness  of  her  eye,  and 
the  thrilling  tones  of  her  voice,  were  overpowering. 
Dr.  Burke,  says,  "sublime,  angelic" 

I  pray  God  to  instruct,  to  support  and  to  guide 
my  house.  I  do  not  stand  in  need  of  human  sympa- 
thy. God  has  abundantly  supported  me. 

Write,  my  beloved  children — write  cheerfully  to 
your  aunt  and  sister.  Put  the  best  face  upon  all  re- 
lating to  our  home,  and  say  everything  that  you 
can,  to  wake  them  up  to  hope  and  cheerfulness. 
God  bless  you  all.  *  * 


Julia  M.  Bacliman.  241 

To  W.  G.  R Y,  M.  D. : 

BLUE  SULPHUR  SPRINGS,  Sept.  llth. 

We  left  the  Red  Sulphur  Springs  yesterday  morn- 
ing and  arrived  here  in  the  evening,  (a  distance  of 
about  thirty-four  miles).  The  travelling  and  change 
of  location  has  operated  favorably  upon  us  all — 
worn  as  we  were  by  watching  and  sorrow. 

We  expect  to  remain  ten  days  here  and  then  go 
directly  home. 

You  have  been  informed  of  our  recent  heavy 
affliction,  and  of  the  extraordinary  evidences  that 
our  dear  Julia  gave  of  her  trust  in  God — and  her  as- 
surance of  heaven.  She  left  messages  for  you,  (her 
physician).  "  When  you  go  home,  father,"  she  said, 
41  Send  for  my  Doctor,  in  your  study,  and  give  these 
messages,  as  coming  from  one  who  has  only  a  few 
days  to  live.  Return  my  thanks  to  him  for  his 
kind  and  unwearied  attendance  upon  me.  Tell 
him,  had  it  been  the  will  of  God  that  I  should  re- 
cover, his  skill  would  have  saved  me ;  but  He,  who 
is  the  All -wise,  has  willed  that  I  should  die  early. 
Perhaps,  He  foresaw  that  if  1  lived,  I  should  be 
worldly  and  forget  my  duty  to  Him.  Instead  of  life, 
He  has  given  me  a  joy  in  my  heart  that  I  would 
not  exchange  for  the  pleasures  and  riches  of  ten 
thousand  worlds. 

"  Tell  him  to  forgive  me,  if  I  have  misunderstood 
him ;  but  it  struck  me,  either  from  his  words  or  his 
manner,  that  he  was  skeptical  in  religion,  and  ex- 
pected to  merit  heaven  by  leading  a  moral  life.  I,  a 
sinner,  plucked  as  it  were  a  brand  from  the  burn- 
ing, want  to  tell  him,  that  I  never  found  peace, 
until  I  cast  behind  me  my  own  righteousness,  and  by 
repentance,  prayer  and  faith,  rested  alone  on  the 
merits  of  my  Saviour.  I  was  always  a  believer  from 
education  ;  but  never  ielt  the  power  of  religion,  till 


242  John  Bachman. 

I  became  as  nothing,  and  my  Saviour,  my  all  in  all. 
Give  him  and  his  my  love  and  farewell,  and  say 
that  I  fondly  hope  and  pray,  that  in  heaven  we  may 
be  united  in  one  family." 

I  have  endeavored  to  use  her  exact  words ;  but  the 
impressive  manner,  the  countenance  beaming  with 
intelligence,  faith  and  hope,  and  the  tones  of  her 
soft  voice — these  I  cannot  convey — I  have  no  words 
that  would  give  you  an  idea  of  the  scene. 

I  have  been  greatly  surprised  at  my  own  want  of 
penetration,  in  not  discovering  "before,  Julia's  powers 
of  mind.  I  knew  that  she  was  a  constant  reader  * 
my  library  gave  evidence  that  she  selected  books 
that  I  supposed  above  her  comprehension,  and  not 
adapted  to  the  taste  of  one  so  young.  But  she  loved 
to  be  alone,  and  she  seems  to  have  had  a  world  of 
thought  within  herself,  into  which  even  her  father 
and  sisters  were  not  permitted  to  enter.  A  reserve 
hung  over  her,  from  which  I  could  not  wean  her. 
When  she  found,  however,  that  she  had  only  a  few 
days  to  live,  she  unburdened  her  whole  heart  to  me. 
and  I  felt  as  if  in  the  presence  of  a  superior  being. 
She  permitted  friends  to  visit  her,  and  cheerfully 
conversed  with  all.  Dr.  Burke  pronounced  her  the 
most  intelligent  and  spiritual  being,  that  he  had 
ever  met  with.  There  was  no  undue  enthusiasm 
about  her,  and  her  countenance,  words  and  manner, 
were  singularly  in  unison.  It  seemed  as  though 
she  possessed  a  premonition  of  her  appointed  time: 
"  Father,"  she  said,  "  Sunday  is  for  the  Holy  Com- 
munion, Monday,  to  dictate  messages  to  family  and 
friends,  and  Tuesday,  to  die ;"  and  thus  it  was. 

She  had  desired  to  leave  the  world  on  the  wings 
of  her  father's  prayers,  and  in  the  attitude  of  prayer 
her  spirit  ascended  to  her  God. 


Julia  M.  Bachman.  243 

Dr.  Bachman  decided,  that  in  accordance  with 
his  daughter's  directions,  the  precious  dust  should 
not  be  removed. 

A.  simple  slab  of  white  Italian  marble  marks  the 
spot. 

Sacred  to  the  Memory 
of 

JULIA  M.   BACHMAN, 

daughter  of  the  Rev.  John  and  Harriet  Bachman, 

of  Charleston,  S.  C., 

who  died  at  the  Red  Sulphur  Springs, 

September  8th,  1847 — aged  21  years  11  months. 

Young,  lovely,  and  beloved,  she    was  early  called 

away — far  from  her  home  and  her  many  dear 

and  valued  friends ; 

but   faith  and  Christian  hope,  sustained  and  sup- 
ported her  through  the  dark  valley  and 

shadow  of  death ; 
and,  to  the  few  loved  ones,  who  were  permitted  to 

linger  near  her  at  the  parting  hour, 

her  calm  and  triumphant  death  seemed  but  a 

translation  from  earth  to  heaven. 

"Weep  not  for  her!  she  died  in  early  youth 
Ere  hope  had  lost  its  rich  romantic  hues, 
When  human  bosoms  seemed  the  home  of  truth, 

And  earth  still  gleamed  with  beauty's  radiant  dews. 
Her  Summer  prime  waned  not  to  days  that  freeze, 
Her  wine  of  life  was  run  not  to  the  lees; 
Weep  not  for  her!" 

The  letter  given  below,  dated  twelve  years  later, 
shows  that  the  pathetic  love  between  the  Pastor  of 
St.  John's  and  his  beautiful  daughter,  was  still  re- 
membered in  the  valley  of  Virginia.  It  was  written 


244  John  Bachman. 

by  a  Minister  (Episcopal),  of  South  Carolina,  who,  at 
that  time,  was  not  personally  acquainted  with  Dr. 
Bachman.  A  bunch  of  evergreens  and  wild  flowers 
accompanied  the  letter — the  bright  Golden  Rod  was 
scarcely  faded,  though  the  busy  hands  that  had 
gathered  the  memento,  were  already  at  rest  under 
the  sod. 

October  3rd,  1859. 

Rev.  and  dear  Sir — During  our  visit  to  the 
Virginia  Springs,  Mrs.  E.,  myself,  and  our  little  boy 
visited  the  grave  of  your  beloved  daughter  in  the 
cemetery  near  the  Red  Sulphur  Springs ;  the  spot 
was  kindly  pointed  out  to  us  by  Mrs.  D.  We  cut 
the  evergreens  from  a  tree  standing  at  the  East  end 
of  the  grave,  in  the  space  between  it  and  the  monu- 
ment over  Gov.  Alston's  remains.  The  flowers  were 
gathered  from  the  grave  itself.  Knowing  full  well 
the  strength  and  tenderness  of  parental  affection,  it 
has  afforded  us  sincere  pleasure  to  gather  and  present 
these  faded  mementoes  of  one,  who  though  long 
since  departed,  yet,  doubtless,  remains  fresh  and 
green  in  your  memory.  Accept  them  as  the  offering 
of  Christian  regard. 

This  incident  is  now,  to  us,  invested  with  thrilling 
interest.  The  little  hands  and  feet,  mind  and  lips, 
so  busy  on  this  day,  (three  weeks  since),  in  the 
work  of  affection,  have  all  been  stilled  and  hushed 
in  silence ;  and  all  that  was  mortal  of  our  dear  boy, 
rest  too,  in  a  distant  grave.  A  sudden  and  un- 
expected attack  brought  deep  sorrow  to  our  hearts, 
as  it  tore  him  away  from  us.  Yet  we  mourn  not, 
as  those  without  hope.  A  merciful  God  has  early 
translated  him  to  His  garden  above,  where  his  leaf 
will  never  fade  or  wither;  his  bright  and  joyous 
life  has  been  exchanged  for  one  brighter  still, 


Julia  M.  Bachman.  245 

and  still  more  glorious  in  the  kingdom  of  our  Re- 
deemer. 

I  am  sure  that  we  need  not  ask  for  your  sympa- 
thy, nor  for  your  remembrance  at  a  throne  of  Grace. 

Being  no  stranger  to  your  character  and  services- 
in  our  Master's  cause,  I  am  confident  that  you  will 
not  deem  it  a  liberty  when  I  subscribe  myself,  very 
respectfully  and  sincerely, 

Your  Brother  in  the  Ministry, 

STEPHEN  ELLIOTT. 

Thirty -seven  years  later  (1884),  John  Haskell  was, 
as  he  expressed  it,  "  passing  out  of  love's  clear  sight 
to  join  the  larger  family  on  the  other  side."  He  had 
received  the  Holy  Eucharist,  and  felt  that  it  was 
his  last  Communion  on  earth — with  his  grand- 
father's child-like  faith,  he  whispered  :  "  I  shall  be 
the  first  to  see  Aunt  Julia." 

If  the  appointed  biographer  desired  that  this 
Chapter  in  his  grandfather's  life  should  be  written 
in  full,  it  was  because  the  letters  that  detailed  the 
brief  life  and  triumphant  death  of  his  young  kins- 
woman stirred  his  inmost  soul. 

I  think  that  he  might  have  closed  this  Chapter 
in  his  Grandfather's  appealing  words  : 

"  Oh  my  children,  will  you  not  profit  by  this 
lesson  ?  " 


11 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

PROFESSOR  AND  STUDENTS. 

DEPRESSION   OF   SPIRITS — REVIVAL   OF   HOPE — NARROW   ESCAPB 

FROM  LOSS  OF  EYESIGHT — LETTERS  TO  VICTOR  AUDUBON 
WHILE  PUBLISHING  QUADRUPEDS  OF  NORTH  AMERICA — 
AGASSIZ— ATTENDS  A  MEETING  OF  GENERAL  SYNOD,  CON- 
VENED AT  NEW  YORK — VISITS  A liDUBON  —  LETTER  FROM  HON. 
MITCHELL  KING — ELECTED  TO  CHAIR  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY 
IN  CHARLESTON  COLLEGE — ANECDOTES. 

WE  resume  our  narrative,  October,  1847.  The 
devoted  physician,  Dr.  Burke,  hastened  the 
departure  of  Dr.  Bach  man  and  his  family  from  the 
*•  Red  Sulphur."  He  accompanied  them  to  the 
"  Blue  Sulphur,"  and,  before  leaving,  commended 
them  to  the  care  and  attention  of  the  host  and  resi- 
dent physician. 

A  fortnight  was  spent  here,  during  this  time  Dr. 
Bachman  wrote  to  his  friend  Audubon  :  "  My  daugh- 
ter L.  is  broken  down ;  I  do  not  like  her  symptoms, 
still  I  ascribe  them  to  fatigue  and  excitement,  and 
trust  that  change  of  scene  and  the  quiet  of  her 
home  may  speedily  restore  her  to  health." 

In  the  following  letter  to  his  son-in-law,  we  see 
his  brave  spirit  shrinking  appalled  from  the  future 
— to  his  sad  eyes  graves  are  still  yawning  to  receive 
his  children : 


Forebodings.  247 

CHARLESTON,  October  28th,  1847. 

My  Dear  Victor  :  I  have  had  an  anxious  time 
since  I  left  Richmond.  There  seemed  to  be  no  alle- 
viation of  my  daughter  L 's  distressing  symp- 
toms. After  our  return  home  she  appeared  to  grow 
worse,  rather  than  better.  Dr.  Horlbeck  called  in 
Dr.  Geddings  as  consulting  physician — for  L.  seemed 
to  me  sinking  for  lack  of  nourishment.  One  by 
one  I  have  seen  my  children  swept  to  the  grave  ,- 
we  have  not  been  out  of  mourning  for  years ;  and 
now  I  know  not  but  that  further  and  equally  heavy 
trials  await  me.  Say  to  my  old  friend  Audubon, 
God  bless  him,  and  save  him  from  the  sorrows  and 
trials  that  have  desolated  my  path  for  years.  *  *  * 


But  the  light  is  breaking  and  the  shadows  fleeing 
away.  The  following  extracts  from  a  letter  show 
that  the  hopeful  spirit  was  not  crushed,  but  only 
over-shadowed  for  a  moment. 

To  THE  SAME  : 

OCTOBER  29th,  1847. 

"  I  may  be  mistaken,  but  I  think  that  there  is  a 
decided  change  for  the  better  in  L.'s  condition. 
Although  I  have  often  before  been  disappointed, 
yet  whenever  there  is  the  slightest  improvement  my 
spirits  revive  and,  perhaps,  I  hope  too  much.  Yet 
it  may  be  fortunate  for  me  in  the  end  that  it  is  thus. 
The  rest  of  us  are  well. 

My  son  Wilson  is  attending  the  lectures  in  the 
Medical  College,  and  my  boy  William  is  doing  well 
at  the  Charleston  College.  Affectionate  remem- 
brance and  love  to  all,  in  which  the  whole  family 
unite,  especially  to  the  dear  little  folk. 


248  John  Bachman. 

To  VICTOR  G.  AND  JOHN  W.  AUDUBON  : 

OCTOBER  30th. 

"  1  began  this  letter  a  few  days  ago,  but  laid  it 
aside.  I  could  not  write  about  quadrupeds. 

Before  this  reaches  you,  you  will  have  heard  de- 
tails of  our  domestic  trials ;  yet  if  I  am  not  mis- 
taken all  the  worst  symptoms  in  L.'s  case  have 
lessened.  But  in  this  letter  I  intend  to  confine 
myself  to  the  object  I  have  in  view,  namely,  to  write 
about  quadrupeds." 

(Several  pages  of  descriptions  of  the  same  follow.) 
The  letter  closes  thus  : 

"  Now  I  have  a  proposition  to  make  to  you.  Just 
come  to  Charleston  with  your  brushes;  bring  with 
you  the  White  Hare  from  the  West,  and  all  speci- 
mens about  which  you  have  a  doubt ;  come  to  us 
during  the  latter  week  in  November — we  shall  get 
the  Deer.  Aiter  some  labor  and  trouble  I  have 
secured  a  Bear ;  the  Otter  and  Mouse  we  will  have 
too  But  what  is  most  important,  we  shall  make 
arrangements  for  the  completion  of  the  work. 

We  could  together  do  more  in  three  weeks,  than 
could  otherwise  be  accomplished  in  six  months.  If 
you  would  bring  the  little  grandchildren,  so  much 
the  better  ;  but,  at  any  rate,  bring  yourself.  I  have 
much  to  say  to  you — perhaps,  your  presence  would 
divert  my  mind,  and  help  to  relieve  me  from  a  load 
of  oppression  that  I  am  trying  to  shake  off — that 
the  windows  of  my  chamber  might  once  again  be 
opened.  If  I  could  only  again  fix  my  mind  intently 
on  some  one  object  of  pursuit,  I  think  that  I  would 
feel  better.  Come  to  us — I  have  a  room  for  you,  so 
has  Desel,  and  Haskell  has  bought  a  plantation, 
only  a  morning's  drive  from  Charleston,  There  are 


tiynod.  241> 

deer  in  abundance,  and  you  can  paint  them  on  the 
spot. 

On  Monday  I  shall  write  you  again,  if  L.  grows 

no  worse     I  have  a  world  of  things  to  say  to  you. 
*  x  *  •$•:-  *  "*  * 

I  am  just  packing  up  to  go  to  a  meeting  of  our 
Synod  to  be  held  in  the  Western  part  of  Georgia  :  I 
expect  to  leave  Charleston  in  an  hour,  and  be  absent 
for  nine  days. 

My  mind  has  become  gradually  more  and  more 
relieved  with  regard  to  my  daughter  L.  Her  spirits, 
that  were  depressed  by  recent  afflictions,  have  re- 
gained their  elasticity.  Dr.  Horlbeck  has  sent  her  a 
pony,  and  she  is  able  to  ride  out  every  day. 

Now  Master  John,  who  writes  such  short  and  such 
very  unsatisfactory  letters  about  quadrupeds,  L  will 
make  a  bargain  with  you.  Come  on  during  the 
winter,  or  if  you  cannot,  write  me  more  fully.  Be  a 
good  boy  and  confess  that  for  a  man  that  can  hold 
a  pen,  you  are  a  most  backward  correspondent,  then 
I  shall  exchange  visits  with  you.  I  shall  come  to 
you  in  May  and  bring  my  daughters  J.  and  L.  with 
me,  and  leave  them  with  you  awhile,  to  hear  you 
and  Victor  grumble  about  that  eye-sore  of  a  railroad, 
and  to  enjoy  your  good  company,  and  your  fish  and 
shrimps ;  and  for  a  week,  I  can  sit  down  with  you 
and  we  can  arrange  the  plates  for  the  quadrupeds 
There  is  perplexity  enough — the  writing  part, 
I  do  not  mind  over  much,  but  the  specimens  are  the 
need.  We  cannot  complete  the  work  as  we  should, 
without  them  *  *  *  I  have  received  the  speci- 
mens from  Lieut.  Albert.  The  large  Hare  is  a  good 
specimen  and  will  help  me  much — but  is  the  only 
good  one  in  the  lot.  John,  you  draw  and  paint  well. 
I  recognized  your  Hare  from  a  shabby  specimen  in 
the  Zoological  Museum.  *  *  *  The  hour  is  here,  and 
I  must  start,  I  shall  write  on  my  return. 


A250  John  Bachman. 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON. 

CHARLESTON,  December  13th,  1847. 

My  dear  Victor — "  I  have  been  unable  to  write  to 
you  for  ten  days.  I  had  returned  from  the  meeting 
of  the  Synod  in  Georgia,  and  had  but  two  days  at 
home,  when  a  sad  accident  befell  me,  which,  but  for 
God's  providence,  might  have  rendered  me  for  the 
rest  of  my  days  like  Milton,  blind  and  sad. 

I  had  prepared  a  mixture  of  gunpowder,  sulphur 
and  lard  to  anoint  a  mangy  dog,  and  gave  it  to  Sam, 
our  little  servant  to  carry  to  the  yard.  I  was  in- 
tently engaged  in  writing,  seated  by  the  fire  with 
my  feet  on  the  fender.  In  his  wisdom,  Sam  sup- 
posed that  the  lard  should  be  melted,  and  he  clapped 
it  on  the  fire,  about  eighteen  inches  from  my  nose — 
an  explosion  took  place  something  like  that  of  a 
cannon — it  was  nearly  half  a  pound  of  powder.  I 
was  knocked  over — saved  twenty-five  cents  in  hair- 
cutting,  lost  my  eye  lashes  and  eyelids,  and  was 
laid  on  my  back  for  ten  days,  with  grated  Irish 
potato  poultices  as  a  remedy.  Nothing  but  my 
spectacles,  (bless  them),  saved  my  eyes  from  total 
blindness.  I  have  now  a  new  skin  from  forehead  to 
chin.  Yesterday  I  left  the  dark  room,  and  looked 
again  upon  the  light  of  heaven,  and  my  eyes  are  so 
much  better  to-day,  that  I  have  been  able  to  show 
you  the  scratch  of  my  pen." 

December  18th.  This  should  have  been  sent  to 
you,  but  I  was  compelled  once  more  to  remain  in  a 
dark  room.  I  was  there  for  five  days.  I  am  now 
quite  better,  (save  my  eyelashes  and  eyebrows.)  I 
shall  preach  to-morrow,  I  hope ;  I  see  as  well  as  ever 
to-day,  only  I  cannot  bear  a  glare  of  light.  This  is 
Saturday  morning,  and  I  am  preparing  for  Sunday. 
I  have  several  extra  duties  at  Church — a  Confirma- 
tion, and  Communion.  *  *  *  * 


Work.  251 

December  24th. 

There  has  been  some  fatality  attending  our  letters, 
but,  by  repetitions  and  cross-questioning,  all  will 
come  well  at  last. 

During  the  leisure  of  the  last  few  days,  I  have  been 
engaged  in  carefully  examining  the  plates  up  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty.  My  favorable  opinion  with 
regard  to  the  execution  of  the  drawings  and  litho- 
graph, remain  unchanged.  John  now  figures  quad- 
rupeds, as  well  as  his  father  ever  drew  birds  in  his 
palmiest  days.  I  am  surprised  and  delighted  with 
the  very  superb  figures  he  has  made.  What  -would 
I  not  give  for  some  of  his  notes  (for  he  has  a  dis- 
criminating eye  and  is  an  excellent  judge  of  char- 
acter). It  is  a  pity  that  one  who  can  use  his  brush 
so  well,  should  be  dilatory  in  using  his  pen.  Tell 
him  I  want  him  to  write  out  his  opinion  of  the 
species  he  has  figured  in  Europe. 

I  am  working  for  your  book  with  great  pleasure 
now.  I  take  as  great  an  interest  in  your  fame  and 
welfare,  as  when  our  Maria  and  Eliza  were  by  your 
side.  For  some  time  past  my  trials  nearly  over- 
powered my  mental  energies.  I  feel  my  sorrows 
still,  though  they  are  less  intense.  All  absorbing  oc- 
cupation helps  me.  Although  I  often  think  deeply 
and  sorrowfully  of  the  past,  I  am  not  in  the  habit 
of  speaking  of  private  griefs,  and  shall  not  again 
trouble  my  friends  with  this  subject. 

We  have  received  your  Christmas  gifts,  and  shall 
feast  on  them  soon.  Accept  our  thanks.  (An  Eng- 
lish pudding,  etc). 

December  31st. 

I  have  just  returned  from  HaskelPs  plantation ; 
the  weather  was  rainy,  cold  and  blustering ;  I  am 
wet  and  chilly,  and  I  fear,  will  not  be  in  the  most 
placid  humor  in  the  world,  and  would  prefer,  there- 


252  John  Bachman. 

fore,  to  postpone  my  letter  for  a  day  ;  but  as  Maria 
is  sending  a  box  to  your  mother,  I  must  write  a  few 
lines,  at  least. 

I  send  two  mice.  John,  I  find,  can  make  a  good 
deal  out  of  almost  nothing — he  will  do  something 
with  these.  I  thank  him  much  for  his  notes,  they 
will  help  famously ;  but  I  must  get  more  out  of 
him. 

I  am  hard  at  work  among  the  quadrupeds ;  you 
could  not  have  sent  me  a  more  perplexing  list  of 
questions,  than  those  I  am  required  to  answer.  But 
I  am  glad  that  you  have  done  so,  it  has  compelled 
me  to'look  over  your  old  letters  for  a  year  past,  and  I 
have  been  able  this  rainy  day  to  overhaul  most 
thoroughly  the  Hares.  *  * 

On  to-morrow,  I  am  to  have  a  long  conversation 
with  Agassiz  in  my  study,  and  I  shall  write  you 
what  he  says  in  full.  1  find  Agassiz's  opinion, 
which  I  prize  more  than  any  man's  in  America, 
most  favorable  to  our  letter-press  and  engravings, 
(Quadrupeds  of  N.  A.)  He  says  that  it  has  not  its 
equal  in  Europe,  in  this  department.  I  know  that 
he  is  sincere,  for  he  is  candid  ;  but  alas,  alas,  we  are 
sadly  in  want  of  material.  I  am  ready  to  lesume 
my  work — it  is  a  hard  job ;  but  I  do  it  with  very 
great  pleasure. 

We  find  during  this  year  (1847),  few  letters  from 
Bachman  to  Audubon,  and  none  in  the  hand-writ- 
ing of  the  latter.  The  panacea,  perfect  rest,  pre- 
scribed by  physicians,  restored  Audubon  apparently 
to  physical  health,  but  the  noble  intellect  remained 
partially  obscured. 

The  friends  had  undertaken  with  enthusiasm,  the 
joint  publication  of  "The  Quadrupeds  of  North 


Agassiz.  253 

America."  A  new  and  difficult  field  in  Natural  His- 
tory lay  open  before  them,  demanding  close  investi- 
gation and  patient  experiment.  But  such  toil  was 
congenial  to  these  ardent  students  of  the  Book  of 
Nature ;  and  their  labors  were  lightened  by  com- 
panionship and  sympathy.  Whose  eye  but  the 
Omniscient  could  see  the  gathering  cloud,  and  who 
dreamed  that  before  the  last  number  of  the  first 
volume  was  published,  the  work-day  of  life  for  the 
gifted  Audubon  would  be  ended.  But  so  it  was. 

The  plates  for  the  "Quadrupeds"  were  provided 
for  ;  John  Audubon  painted  the  animals  and  Victor 
the  landscapes  and  other  backgrounds,  and  Miss 
Martin  continued  to  contribute  Southern  flowers, 
etc. ;  but  without  Audubon,  Bachman  stood  alone 
in  the  letter-press,  for  the  sons  of  Audubon  were 
artists,  and  not  naturalists.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, Dr.  Bachman  hailed  with  delight  the  arrival 
in  Charleston  of  Professor  Louis  Agassiz,  the  dis- 
tinguished Naturalist,  at  that  time  Professor  of 
Natural  History  in  Harvard  College. 

Bachman  had  followed  with  deep  interest,  the 
laborious  investigations  of  Agassiz  among  the  lower 
animals,  and  was  under  the  impression  that  he  had 
also  studied  the  Mammalia  with  equal  care.  Agassiz, 
with  his  accustomed  truthfulness  and  candor,  unde- 
ceived him.  It  was  a  great  disappointment  to  him, 
for  in  the  publication  of  the  Quadrupeds  he  sorely 
felt  the  need  of  consultation  with  other  scientists. 


254  John  Bachman. 

To  VICTOR  AND  JOHN  AUDUBON  : 

JANUARY  6th,  1848, 

"  Your  letters  are  two  weeks  on  the  passage,  and 
mine,  if  they  reach  you  at  all,  travel  as  slowly.  Last 
week  I  wrote  you  two  full  sheets  about  animals, 
names,  etc.  It  cost  me  two  days'  work  ;  has  it  been 
received  ?  Write  forthwith. 

Alas!  Agassiz  cannot  help  me;  he  knows  nothing 
about  Quadrupeds,  scarcely  one  of  our  animals,  and 
not  those  of  his  own  country. 

The  late  T.  O.  Summer,  D.  D.  (of  the  Methodist 
Church),  Dean  of  the  Theological  Faculty  of  Van- 
derbilt  University,  Tennessee,  has  left  a  manuscript, 
entitled  "Personal  Recollections  of  Dr.  Bachman." 

He  writes:  "  When  the  Scientific  Association  met 
in  Charleston,  Dr.  Bachman  had  the  distinguished 
Agassiz  frequently  for  a  guest.  One  day,  pointing 
to  the  skin  of  a  fox,  the  Doctor  said,  playfully, 
1  Agassiz,  you  know  that  fellow?  '  '  No,7  said  Agas- 
siz. '  Why/  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  '  That  is  the  fox 
of  your  own  native  forests/  Agassiz  remarked  :  '  I 
know  very  little  of  mammals.'  He  had  devoted 
himself  chiefly  to  molluscs  and  fishes.  The  Doctor 
told  me  this  to  show  how  little  value  was  the  dic- 
tum of  Agassiz  in  regard  to  the  polygenism,  which 
was,  at  that  time,  so  vehemently  asserted  by  many 
scientists.  They  wished  to  get  Agassiz  on  their  side, 
but  he  never  went  any  farther  than  to  advance  his 
untenable  hypothesis  of  eight  Zoological  centres, 
comprising  as  many  autochthonous  races,  though 
not  species,  of  men." 

On  the  14th  of  May,  1848,  the  General  Synod  of 
the  Lutheran  Church  convened  in  New  York  City. 


"  The  Ruins  of  a  Mind."  255 

Dr.  Bachman  was  a  delegate  to  that  body.  In  the 
latter  part  of  April,  he  left  Charleston  in  a  sailing 
vessel  bound  to  New  York,  accompanied  by  his 
daughters,  Jane  and  Lynch .  He  writes  to  his  family 
in  Charleston,  from  the  Audubon  home  : 

MINNIE'S  LAND,  May  llth,  1848. 

The  girls  say  that  they  have  heard  "  the  music 
of  the  minstrel's  nose."  As  I  sit  on  an  arm  chair, 
with  my  feet  on  the  hot  fender  this  chilly  evening, 
I  am  half  inclined  to  think  that  they  were,  in  part, 
right ;  for  I  feel  a  little  drowsy  just  now — I  had 
better  try  to  shake  off  lethargy  by  writing  a  few 
lines  home.  But  how  shall  I  collect  my  thoughts 
amid  the  din  and  confusion  that  prevail  around  me; 
yet  I  like  to  see  these  happy  faces  and  hear  their 
merry  laugh. 

I  found  all  well  here,  as  far  as  health  is  concerned. 
Mrs.  Audubon  is  straight  as  an  arrow,  and  in  fine 
health,  but  sadly  worried.  John  has  just  come  in 
from  feeding  his  dogs.  Audubon  has  heard  his 
little  song  sung  in  French,  and  has  gone  to  bed. 
Alas,  my  poor  friend  Audubon !  the  outlines  of  his 
countenance  and  his  form  are  there,  but  his  noble 
mind  is  all  in  ruins.  I  have  often,  in  sadness,  con- 
templated in  ruin  a  home  that,  in  other  years,  I 
have  seen  in  order  and  beauty,  but  the  ruins  of  a 
mind  once  bright  and  full  oi'  imagination,  how 
much  more  inexpressibly  melancholy  and  gloomy. 
But  why  dwell  upon  these?  I  turn  away  from  the 
subject  with  a  feeling  of  indescribable  sadness.  *  *  * 

The  weather  has  been  rainy  for  the  past  four  days, 
but  this  afternoon  it  was  clear,  but  quite  cold.  The 
Spring  here  is  further  advanced  than  I  expected  to 
find  it,  the  fruit  trees  are  in  full  bloom,  and  the 
grass  of  a  dark  green.  The  woods  and  the  grounds 


25G  John  Bachman. 

are  full  of  the  melody  of  singing  birds.  There  are 
not  less  than  twenty  wood-robins,  whose  notes  can 
be  heard  in  this  vicinity.  A  red-breast  has  built  a 
nest  in  the  cherry-tree,  near  the  piazza ;  the  pee-wee 
is  building  close  by,  and  the  robins  have  found  a 
home  here.  I,  too,  would  willingly  linger,  but  I 
must  be  on  the  wing.  Day  after  to-morrow  I  expect 
to  take  the  girls  with  me  to  New  York,  during  the 
meeting  of  Synod.  I  want  them  to  see  a  little  of 
this  great  city. 

I  am  working  away  among  the  Quadrupeds ; 
and,  if  I  had  nothing  else  to  do,  could  spend  a  month 
here  with  great  satisfaction;  but  as  it  is,  time  is 
passing,  and  I  must  soon  turn  my  face  homewards. 
I  do  not  yet  know  if  the  girls  will  decide  to  return 
with  me. 

Mrs.  Audubon  is  going  into  the  city  maid-hunt- 
ing, to-morrow  morning,  and  I  shall  send  this  letter 
by  her  to  be  posted. 

Tell  Master  John  Bachman  (Haskell),  that  these 
little  folk,  of  all  sizes,  sit  and  play  all  day  in  my 
room,  and  do  not  touch  the  specimens  ;  if  my  little 
restless,  roaring,  tearing  dog  was  here,  he  would 
make  the  fur  fly,  as  well  as  the  heads  and  the  tails. 
All  send  love  to  Aunt  Maria,  and  to  the  girls  and 
boys. 

Your  affectionate  father,  J.  B. 

The  two  sons  of  Audubon  were  both  united  in 
marriage  a  second  time;  John,  to  Miss  Caroline 
Hall,  of  England  ;  and  Victor,  to  Miss  Georgiana 
Mallory,  of  New  York. 

The  first  born  of  these  marriages  were  daughters. 
John  Audubon's  daughter,  at  baptism,  was  named, 
Maria  R.;  and  Victor's,  Mary  Eliza.  The  heart  of  the 


General  Synod  at  New  York.  257 

Pastor  of  St.  John's  was  inexpressibly  touched  by 
this  unselfish  tribute  to  the  memory  of  his  idolized 
daughters.  The  wives  of  his  sons-in-law  were  to 
him,  from  that  hour,  as  his  own  beloved  daughters- 
in-law,  and  their  children  as  his  grandchildren. 

NEW  YORK  CITY,  May  16th,  1848. 

"  I  yesterday  received  my  first  letter  from  home, 
and  we  were  much  gratified  at  its  contents.  I  am 

glad  that  A is  safe  and  well ;  may  the  little 

girl  live  to  marry  a  man,  who  will  be  fit  to  become 
the  future  President  of  the  United  States.  Love 
and  congratulations  to  H.  and  to  A.,  and  kiss  this 
precious  lump  of  mortality  for  us  all. 

I  was  somewhat  surprised  and  a  little  amused  at 
your  fears  with  regard  to  the  hail-storm.  It  must 
have  been  infinitely  more  severe  on  shore  than  on 
sea.  The  largest  hail  I  saw  was  not  much  larger 
than  a  musket  ball.  There  was  just  a  tolerable 
squall.  We  had  a  very  prudent  and  careful  Captain. 
The  vessel  was  all  in  order  when  the  squall  struck 
us ;  there  was,  in  reality,  nothing  to  alarm  an  old 
sailor  like  myself,  who  has  seen  storms  compared  to 
which  the  present  was  like  a  pigmy  to  a  giant.  I 
think  that  L.  was  a  little  frightened,  but  the  fright 
soon  passed  off — danger  there  was  none.  The 
voyage  on  the  whole  was  a  very  pleasant  one ;  we 
were  saved  from  the  bustle  and  jarring  of  a  steamer, 
and  our  pockets  were  fuller  by  thirty  dollars. 

I  have  brought  the  girls  to  New  York  ;  but  I  fear 
they  will  see  little  of  the  city.  They  are  timid ;  I 
am  busy  at  Synod  and  have  not  half  an  hour  to  go 

out  with  them.  We  are  staying  at  E- 's ;  his  son 

will  take  J.  and  L.  in  their  carnage  and  show  them 
the  city  and  the  lions  this  afternoon.  Later  in  the 
evening  they  propose  to  return  to  Minnie's  Land 


258  John  Bach  man. 

with  Victor.     I  somewhat  regret  it,  as  I  want  them 
to  see  a  little  more  of  this  great  and  wicked  city. 

New  York  appears  to  me  like  another  London  in 
miniature.  Broadway  contains  at  all  hours  of  the 
day  a  moving  mass  of  human  beings.  If  you  are 
on  the  sidewalks,  you  are  elbowed  and  jostled ;  if  you 
cross  the  street  you  are  in  danger  that  the  wheels  of 
an  omnibus  may  crush  your  foot,  if  not  your  neck. 
If  you  stand  still  you  may  have  }^our  pockets  picked, 
and  if  you  run  the  cry  of  "  stop  thief"  will  follow 
you. 

Yet,  after  all,  New  York  is  not  a  bad  place. 
Though  it  is  busy  and  bustling,  people  are  polite 
and  well-dressed,  and  the  fashions  are  not  very 
unlike  those  in  Charleston.  I  think  that  more 
wealthy  young  men  attend  to  business  here  than 
with  us.  Of  abolition  I  hear  not  a  word.  New 
York  seems  prospering  in  a  very  high  degree,  and  is 
destined  to  become  one  of  the  largest  cities  in  the 
world.  As  I  looked  at  the  many  pretty  women  in 
Broadway,  I  thought  that  no  love-sick  swain  had 
any  reason  to  hang  himself  if  jilted,  inasmuch  as  the 
vacuum  in  his  heart  might  so  easily  be  filled  up 
with  one  of  the  crowd  that  always  seem  ready  to  fill 
up  every  vacant  gap. 

I  am  constantly  interrupted  while  writing,  and 

feel  that  my  mind  is  like  our  old  friend  S 's,  "  all 

scattered  about." 

I  think  the  Synod  will  not  adjourn  until  the  end 
of  this  week.  It  is  a 'large  body,  and  every  one 
wishes  to  make  a  speech.  I  am  chairman  in  an 
ugly  business,  intrusted  to  me  by  a  Western  Synod— 
a  poor  fellow  is  in  trouble,  and  I  fear  that  things 
are  against  him. 

I  shall  probably,  return  home  in  a  steamer,  and 
shall  certainly  be  with  you  before  Sunday,  28th  of 
May.  God  bless  you  all. 


His  Eyes.  259 

Leaving  his  daughters  in  the  hospitable  home  of 
Audubon,  he  returned  to  fill  his  pulpit  at  the  time 
appointed. 

To  HIS  DAUGHTER  JANE  : 

CHARLESTON,  Aug.  27th,  '48. 

It  was  a  delightful  day  to  me,  when  your  letter, 
dated  the  18th,  was  handed  to  me.  I  have  read  it 
the  second  time  ;  it  is  characterized  by  strong  good 
sense,  and  there  is  such  a  propriety  in  your  thoughts 
and  expressions  that  I  could  not  fail  to  be  proud  of 
my  daughter.  Then  I  felt  convinced  that  your  eyes 
were  better — for  you  kept  accurately  to  ihe  blue 
lines  on  the  paper.  May  we  soon  have  reason  to  re- 
joice in  a  permanent  cure  of  your  eyes. 

I  too,  suffer,  at  present,  from  my  eyes  ;  I  cannot 
read  much  and  scarcely  venture  to  write ;  I  suppose 
I  have  taken  off  my  spectacles  a  dozen  times  since 
I  began  this  letter.  I  may  have  to  give  up  reading 
and  writing  altogether,  which  would  be  to  me  a  very 
great  deprivation,  but  I  am  prepared  to  do  so  with- 
out one  murmur  or  complaint.  Come  daughter 
Jane,  let  us  make  a  bet  of  a  quart  of  ice-cream,  and 

see  which  of  us  can  first  find  a  needle  in  a  havstack. 
-x  *  #  * 

Well,  daughter  L ,  what  shall  I  say  to  you ; 

are  you  home-sick,  child?  No!  everything  to  you 
is  yetthe  color  of  the  rose.  Give  my  love  and  a  kiss 
to  the  Audubon  ladies;  the  old  girl  is  a  diamond, 
the  others  are  gold. 

Come  here  my  granddaughters — my  Lucy  and 
my  dumpty  Harriet,  let  me  kiss  you  and  tumble 
you  about.  I  hear  that  you  are  obedient  and 
affectionate  to  your  grandparents  and  parents,  and 
that  you  improve  in  music  and  other  studies.  You 
must  learn  to  play,  chat  and  read  for  grand-pa 


260  John  Backman. 

Bachman,  to   cheer  him  when  he  is  old,  and  the 
grasshopper  has  become  a  burden. 

Now,  dear  Jane,  I  must  stop — the  others  know 
more  gossip,  and  their  letters  will  be  more  interest- 
ing than  mine.  I  only  write  to  show  you  that  you 
are  in  all  my  thoughts,  and  in  my  prayers.  I  am 
living  only  for  my  duty  to  God,  and  for  my  child- 
ren's happiness — when  all  goes  well  with  them  my 
mind  is  at  peace. 

May  God  watch  over  my  dear  daughters,  and  may 
we  soon  meet  again  in  health  and  with  grateful 
hearts. 

Tell  L.  to  guess  which  of  the  daughters  will 
receive  the  next  letter  from, 

Your  affectionate  father, 

J.  BACHMAN. 
To  V.  G.  AUDUBON: 

CHARLESTON,  October  20th,  1848. 

My  dear  Victor — In  regard  to  plate  No.  30, 1  can- 
not give  a  name  until  I  am  certain  that  no  one  has 
named  it  before  me. 

No.  1.     Pouched  Eat  from  Georgia. 

This  animal  was  described  in  the  New  York  Med- 
ical Eepositary,  January  1821 — Get  and  copy  the 
description  for  me.  I  will  send  you  by  to-morrow's 
steamer  a  living  one.  I  have  had  it  all  Summer :  it 
is  a  gentle  and  most  pleasant  companion  of  mine, 
eating  from  my  hand,  and  looking  at  and  seeming  to 
talk  with  me.  If  John  cannot  figure  the  one  he  has 
already,  he  must  try  his  hand  on  this,  but  don't 
kill  my  pet,  if  you  can  avoid  it.  I  take  it  out  by 
the  tail  and  hold  it  in  my  hand,  and  it  has  never  at- 
tempted to  bite  me.  You  perceive  it  has  a  naked 
tail.  If  Mitchell's  animal  has  a  short  naked  tail, 
then  we  must  give  this  fellow  a  new  name.  *  * 

You  have,  I  think,  specimens  of  both  the  Southern 


Professor  in  Charleston.  College.  261 

Pouched  Rats — the  Florida  and  Georgia  species  ; 
they  greatly  resemble  each  other — so  do  all  the 
species." 

A  list  of  descriptions  of  plates  follow. 
He  continues : 

"  Last  evening  I  used  my  eyes  by  candle-light  for 
the  first  time.  Dr.  Frost  has  me  in  hand  *  *  * 
I  at  least  fancy  that  my  eyes  are  a  shade  better,  but 
I  am  obliged  to  be  bat-like  and  avoid  the  light. 

Soon  I  shall  go  to  work  again  on  the  quadrupeds. 
The  work  was  begun  before  either  your  father  or 
myself  were  quite  ready.  You  see  how  I  am  situ- 
ated, and  you  must  be  patient.  I  have  imperative 
duties.  I  will  aid  you  all  that  I  can,  but  I  cannot 
consent  to  endanger  my  eye-sight,  and  when  I  begin 
to  write  I  know  that  I  cannot  stop.  Love  to  all. 

In  the  Spring  of  1848,  Dr.  Bach  man  received  a 
letter  from  the  Chairman  of  the  Trustees  of  Charles- 
ton College,  (Hon.  Mitchell  King),  stating  that 
Natural  History  had  been  added  to  the  curriculum 
of  the  College,  and  that  he  had  been  unanimously 
elected  Professor  of  Natural  History. 

After  consultation  with  the  Vestry  of  his  Church, 
he  accepted  the  position. 

FROM  HON.  MITCHELL  KING. 

CHARLESTON,  April  14th,  1848. 

We  had  the  strongest  confidence  that  you  would 
accept  the  tendered  chair  in  our  College,  and  that 
your  respected  vestry  would  approve  and  encourage 
the  acceptance ;  yet,  I  assure  you,  I  am  delighted 
with  your  note  just  received,  which  tells  me  that 


262  John  Packman. 

confidence  is  now  certainty ;  and  while  I  would  ven- 
ture to  congratulate  you  on  the  extended  field  on 
which  you  ma}r  now  spread  the  love  of  your  favorite 
science,  I  wonlcLmuch  more  deepl}'  congratulate  our 
cherished  institution,  and  the  young  gentlemen 
under  its  care,  for  the  invaluable  addition  which 
you  will  bring  to  the  curriculum  of  their  instruction. 
To  you  it  is  a  matter  of  secondary  consideration,  but 
to  our  institution,  and  to  them,  it  is  a  matter  of  the 
very  highest  importance.  Most  earnestly  do  I  trust, 
my  dear  Doctor,  that  you  may  find  it  a  source  of 
enjoyment  to  you,  and  of  still  increasing  usefulness 
and  reputation. 

I  am  sure  that  it  will  advance  the  interests  and 
the  standing  of  our  College,  to  have  your  name  as- 
sociated with  it  in  the  department  of  your  choice, 
and  we  shall  therefore  avail  ourselves  of  your  kind 
permission  to  announce  it. 

With  sincerest  respect  and  regard. 

Very  faithfully  yours, 

M.  K. 

The  duties  connected  with  the  Chair  of  Natural 
History  were  congenial  to  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's, 
and  involved  very  little  labor  on  his  part. 

He  retained  the  Professorial  Chair  for  three  years, 
when  pressing  duties  connected  with  his  Ministerial 
office  called  for  'his  resignation. 

As  he  stood  with  his  boys  around  him,  the  fire 
and  glow  of  his  youth  was  rekindled  and  communi- 
cated to  his  students.  They  sought  his  company  in 
their  vacations,  planning  with  their  parents  to  induce 
him  to  spend  days  with  them  in  the  country,  or  at 
the  sea-shore. 


A  Fish  Story.  263 

They  were  his  guides  into  the  forests.  Here  a 
mole  burrowing,  a  toad  buried  alive,  or  the  gyra- 
tions of  an  insect — a  wild  flower — or  even  a  blade  of 
grass,  furnished  varied  subjects  for  instruction  and 
entertainment. 

The}7  showed  him  the  nests  with  young  birds, 
that  they  had  discovered,  and  he  taught  them  to 
distinguish  the  bird  by  its  note — for,  to  his  prac- 
tised ear,  the  note  of  every  Southern  bird  was  as 
the  voice  of  a  friend.  When  in  Europe,  he  is  said  to 
have  made  a  wager  (figuratively)  with  an  English 
scientist,  that  in  a  week  he  could  become  familiar 
with  every  bird  he  met  with,  and  tell  its  name  by 
its  note — and  he  did  it. 

He  knew,  too,  the  names  of  all  the  finny  inhab- 
itants of  the  salt  and  fresh  waters  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Charleston. 

He  was  a  successful  angler,  though  he  would  often 
,say,  that  to  wait  hours  for  a  bite,  was  too  lazy  a  sport 
for  him.  Yet,  when  the  fishermen  at  the  seaside 
would  draw  in  their  net,  he  was  seen  watching  for 
the  haul  in  a  state  of  expectancy  and  excitement, 
that  would  have  delighted  old  Isaac  Walton. 

His  boys  drew  from  him  all  his  best  fish  stories, 
and  took  a  lively  interest  in  every  incident  of  a  deer 
hunt.  Many  of  these  have  been  preserved. 

A  Fish  Story. 

Dr.  Bachman  was  on  a  visit  to  the  country  home 
of  a  friend  living  near  Charleston;  his  host  was 
called  away  to  the  city,  and  he  concluded  to  go  fish- 


264  John  Bachman. 

ing.  The  sky  was  over-clouded — a  perfect  day  in 
the  eyes  of  a  fisherman.  When  he  reached  the 
stream  and  opened  his  basket,  his  line  was  there, 
but,  by  an  annoying  oversight,  there  was  no  hook 
attached  to  it.  He  returned  to  the  house,  thinking 
that  he  could  easily  find  a  hook.  Alas !  the  search 
was  vain.  Here  was  a  dilemma.  He  asked  for  a  knit- 
ting-needle, bent  and  formed  the  wire  into  a  clumsy 
but  strong  hook.  Returning  to  the  fishing  ground f 
he  threw  out  his  line,  and  the  bait  was  swallowed 
by  a  large  Sheep's-head.  As  he  drew  him  in  and 
examined  him,  he  could  scarcely  believe  his  own 
eyes — in  the  mouth  of  the  Sheep's-head  was  a  hook — 
the  large  fish  must  have  broken  the  line  of  the 
angler  who  had  previously  endeavored  to  capture 
him. 

With  jov  and  care,  he  drew  out  the  hook  and 
substituted  it  for  his  own  clumsy  manufacture. 
With  this  newly-found  hook  he  caught  a  large  num- 
ber of  fish,  and  returned  to  the  house  to  relate  to 
the  good  house-wife  his  success,  and  to  present  the 
fruit  of  his  morning's  adventure. 

The  late  Dr.  T.  0.  Summers  gives  the  following: 

"The  Doctor  told  me  that  he  one  day  killed  a 
giant — not  a  man,  but  a  whale.  It  was  in  this  wise : 
He  had  embarked  off  the  Delaware  in  a  vessel  bound 
to  Europe.  While  the  crew  were  ashore,  he  saw  the 
spouting  of  a  whale  within  rifle  shot.  Having  a 
rifle  at  hand,  he  shot  at  the  monster,  whose  blood 
tinged  the  waters — that  was  all  he  saw.  Shortly 


Parson  Bachmaris  "Aim"  265 

after,  being  in  Paris,  he  saw  in  a  newspaper  that  a 
whale  had  been  washed  ashore  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Delaware,  and  on  dissecting  him  it  was  found  that  a 
shot  had  penetrated  his  lungs.  No  one  could  solve 
the  mystery.  The  Doctor  solved  it." 

We  find  among  the  notes  of  his  grandson,  John 
HaskelL  another  reminiscence: 

"  On  a  certain  deer  hunt  that  took  place  on 
one  of  the  plantations  near  Charleston  (probably 
Dr.  Desel's,  Goose  Creek),  my  grandfather  was  put 
at  one  of  the  best  stands,  for  the  hunters  knew 
that  they  could  rely  upon  him.  He  maintained 
his  reputation  that  day— he  killed  two  deer  and 
two  turkeys.  Covering  the  deer  with  leaves  to 
conceal  them,  he  blew  his  horn,  and  when  the 
party  rode  up  pointed  to  the  turkeys,  and  then, 
to  their  great  surprise,  uncovered  the  deer." 

The  old  negroes,  who  lived  on  the  plantations 
around  Charleston,  and  were  then  the  young  men 
who  assisted  in  bringing  home  the  deer,  etc.,  still 
preserve  wonderful  stories  of  Parson  Bachman's 
"sure  aim,"  and  delight  to  tell  how  many  turkeys, 
deer,  etc.,  they  carried  home  as  the  result  of  the 
same. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

1848—1852. 

His  SECOND  MARRIAGE. 

HEALTH  FAILS — SOJOURN  AT  MADISON  SPRINGS— VISIT  FROM: 
VICTOR  AUDUBON  —LETTER  TO  EDWARD  HARRIS — QUADRU- 
PEDS OF  NORTH  AMERICA — HIS  PART  IN  THE  WORK. 

To  VICTOR  G.  AUDUBON  : 

CHARLESTON,  Dec.  18th,  1848. 

DEAR  VICTOR:  I  am  sure  that  you  will  be 
glad  to  see  a  few  lines  written  by  1113"  own 
hand,  at  daylight.  It  is  just  to  sa3r  that  the  old 
fellow  is  alive,  and  only  half  blind.  For  three 
months  I  have  been  sadty  off.  If  I  only  wrote  or  read 
for  half  an  hour  I  was  punished  all  night  with  sand 
in  my  eyes,  and  such  an  itching  that  I  waked  every 
half  hour.  I  tried  to  abide  by  the  Doctor's  pre- 
scriptions ;  rested  1113^  eyes,  and  even  used  no  notes 
in  the  pulpit  or  at  college. 

I  go  out  of  town,  and  leave   cares   behind  me 
whenever  I  can — and  am  the  better  for  it.     I  shall 
go  to  Columbia,  Lexington,  etc.,  to  spend  my  vaca- 
tion-week, and  return  to  my  duties  on  Saturday. 

Now  about  the  letter-press.  At  last,  I  think,  I 
see  my  way  clear ;  Maria  has  promised  to  be  my 
amanuensis,  and,  on  the  second  day  of  January,  she 
will  hold  the  pen  for  me.  There  is  only  one  other 
person  that  could  do  this,  and  that  is  37ourself ;  but 
I  won't  call  on  3rou  unless  the  other  plan  fails. 


A  Wedding  Gift.  207 

We  are  looking  out  for  John,  and  shall  be  most 
glad  to  see  him. 

Send  your  bill  for  the  work  subscribed  for  by 
"  Charleston  Library  Societ}7." 

Now  I  shall  entrust  you  all  with  a  secret.  Your 
Aunt  Maria  has  been  weak  enough  to  consent  to 
take  the  old  man,  with  all  his  infirmities  of  mind 
and  eyes,  for  better  and  for  worse,  and  thus  lawfully 
become  his  nurse  and  scribe,  on  December  28th,  so 
please  demean  yourself  accordingly,  and  acknowl- 
edge with  me  that  she  is  so  amiable  and  good-tem- 
pered, that  she  will  not  scratch  out  the  poor  remnant 
of  my  eyes  left  to  me. 

With  love  to  all  and  congratulations  of  the  season, 

Affectionately  yours, 

J.  B. 

FOU^D  ON  THE  FLY-LEAF  OF  AN  OLD  BOOK. 
To  MRS.  BACHMAN  : 

My  Beloved  Maria :  The  presentation  of  a 
Cookery  book  from  a  husband  to  his  bride,  does  not, 
at  first,  appear  to  evidence  much  of  that  sensibility 
and  romance,  which  such  an  occasion  would  seem 
to  inspire.  I,  however,  send  you  this  little  book,  not 
to  remind  you  either  of  your  duty  as  a  good  house- 
keeper— for  of  that  I  have  already  had  satisfactory 
experience,  or  of  my  appetite  for  luxuries — for  this 
I  ought  not  to  encourage ;  but,  as  I  once  heard  you 
remark  that  you  would  like  to  own  this  book,  I  send 
it  as  an  evidence  that  I  shall  ever  be  disposed  to 
devote  myself  to  yon,  and  to  comply  with  your  least 
wish. 

JOHN,  BACHMAN. 

December  28th,  1848. 


268  John  Bachman. 

VICTOR  AUDUBON  TO  MRS.  BACHMAN  : 

NEW  YORK,  January  28th,  1849. 

My  Dear  Aunt  Maria :  Your  letter  was  received 
day  before  yesterday,  and,  I  assure  you,  that  it  was 
read  with  no  ordinary  satisfaction.  May  you  en- 
joy every  blessing. 

Now  I  feel  assured  of  the  completion  of  our  hopes 
and  wishes  in  regard  to  the  letter-press  of  the 
"  Quadrupeds."  *  *  I  hope  that  the  task  of 
completing  the  work  will  not  prove  too  irksome  to 
you  and  to  our  friend,  your  husband. 

V.  G.  A. 

On  the  second  day  of  January,  according  to 
promise,  Dr.  Bachman  and  his  wife,  were  to  be 
found  in  the  study,  surrounded  by  stuffed  speci- 
mens, papers  and  books,  employing  every  leisure 
moment  in  the  preparation  of  the  Second  Volume 
of  "The  Quadrupeds  of  North  America."  An 
author  has  said,  "  Time  is  fertile  in  deceptions,  and 
never  gives  us  the  fourth  as  much  leisure  as  he 
promises."  It  did  not  prove  otherwise  in  this  case. 

One  rule  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's  had  laid  down 
for  himself,  viz:  Pastoral  duties — what  he  called 
"  the  imperative  duties"  always  first ;  scientific  labors 
in  the  second  place.  Still,  by  early  rising  and  syste- 
matic labor,  the  work  on  the  "  Quadrupeds  "  steadily 
went  forward.  Mrs.  Bachman,  under  the  direction 
of  her  husband,  carefully  took  the  measurements  of 
the  specimens.  Besides,  her  artist  eye  was  invalua- 
ble to  him  in  deciding  the  exact  shades  of  color. 

When  the.  Spring  came,  however,  and  the  March 
winds  began  to  blow,  we  find  him  languid  and 


At  Madison  Springs.  269 

spiritless,  scarcely  equal  to  his  pastoral  duties,  and 
continuous  literary  work  was  out  of  the  question. 
Woe  to  the  man  that  stands  alone  under  these  cir- 
cumstances !  But  Dr.  Bachman  did  not  stand  alone ; 
his  faithful  wife  was  at  his  side.  With  consummate 
tact  she  had  the  specimens  removed,  and  carefully 
laid  aside  the  papers.  "  You  are  only  suffering  from 
weakness  of  body,"  she  said,  "  You  must  take  a  vaca- 
tion, and  as  you  grow  stronger,  your  old  love  for  the 
work  will  return."  She  quietly  made  the  simple 
preparations  necessary  for  the  trip ;  at  the  same 
time  his  congregation  urged  upon  him  the  necessity 
for  the  same,  and  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  efforts 
to  secure  a  quiet  retreat  where  he  could  recuperate 
his  strength.  Madison  Springs,  Georgia,  proved  a 
happy  selection.  The  specimen  books,  etc.,  that  had 
been  laid  aside,  were  brought  out  and  packed  in 
readiness  for  an  early  departure. 

Dr.  Hazelius  had  written  from  Lexington,  "Come 
and  see  my  fine  vegetable  garden.  I  want  you  to 
see  the  plants  raised  from  the  seeds  you  sent  me.  I 
am  needing  your  advice  about  the  Seminary,  don't 
pass  me  by."  We  find  in  Mrs.  Bachman's  hand- 
writing, a  few  dottings  by  the  way. 

Tuesday,  June  12th,  '49  :  "Dr.  B.  and  myself  left 
Charleston  for  the  Madison  Springs." 

Wednesday  was  spent  pleasantly  with  Dr.  Hazel iusr 
family. 

On  the  19th  we  reached  Madison  Springs.  The 
location  is  fine,  and  climate  delightful.  We  are  the 
only  boarders  and  are  comfortably  accommodated. 'r 
12 


270  John  Bachman. 

A  large  empty  room  which  opened  from  their 
chamber  was  put  at  their  disposal.  A  few  wooden 
tables  and  chairs,  were  brought  in,  and  specimens, 
papers,  etc.,  were  soon  arranged  in  readiness  for  work, 
41  when  the  old  love  for  it  came  back."  Perfect  rest, 
aided  by  the  healing  waters,  had  an  almost  magical 
effect. 

Rejoicingly  he  writes  to  Victor  Audubon  : 

MADISON  SPRINGS,  June  30th,  '49. 

"I  have  very  cheering  news  to  give  you.  I  have 
been  here  eleven  days ;  the  day  after  my  arrival  the 
giddiness  in  my  head  and  other  horrid  symptoms 
that  have  distressed  me  for  months,  began  to  leave 
me.  I  sleep  well,  drink  the  water,  and  take  a 
shower-bath  daily.  Best  of  all,  I  am  able  to  work 
without  suffering  from  my  eyes. 

I  begun  working  four  hours  a  day,  now  I  can 
work  for  twelve.  I  shall  lessen  the  hours,  should  I 
find  my  strength  failing.  This  is  my  tenth  work- 
ing-day. I  have  finished  seventeen  articles,  and  ar- 
ranged notes  for  another.  I  have  used  as  many  of 
your  notes  as  I  could.  Maria  copies  carefully.  She 
lops  off  to  the  right  and  the  left  with  your  notes  and 
mine ;  she  corrects,  criticises,  abuses,  and  praises  us 
by  turns.  Your  father's  notes,  copied  from  his  jour- 
nal, are  valuable — they  contain  real  information  ; 
some  of  the  others  are  humbug  and  rigmarole ;  but 
you  have  done  so  well  as  to  surprise  us. 

To-day,  I  wrote  the  life  and  doings  of  the 
Opossum  ;  my  article  will  occupy  me  for  another 
day.  Three  days  ago,  I  wrote  the  article  on 
the  Ermine;  what  you  sent  me  lacked  informa- 
tion, and  I  possessed  it ;  in  going  over  its  history, 
I  found  and  described  a  new  Ermine — a  small 


A  Delightful  Retreat.  271 

one  with  long  ears ;  and  hairs  becoming  white  in 
Winter. 

(A  page  or  two  of  notes  and  descriptions  follow); 
the  letter  closes  thus : 

"  I  hope  that  if  nothing  untoward  happens,  the 
Second  Volume  will  be  finished  in  a  month,  and  the 
Third  Volume  next  Winter. 

I  am  in  a  quiet  place  for  work,  free  from  mos- 
quitos,  and  free  from  two-legged  idlers — that  are 
worse.  Maria  will  finish  this  letter." 

MRS.  BACHMAN,  TO  THE  SAME  . 

"I  would  have  written  to  you,  dear  Victor,  long- 
ago,  but  I  had  nothing  agreeable  to  communicate ; 
as,  at  home,  Dr.  Bachman's  inability  to  apply  him- 
self to  the  work  seemed  to  increase  every  day.  This 
journey  was  a  happy  thought,  as  the  change  of  air, 
relief  from  his  many  laborious  home  duties,  and, 
perhaps,  the  water,  have  quite  restored  him.  He 
seems  to  have  recovered  all  the  energies  of  his  mindr 
and  is  steadily  employed  every  day,  without  being 
much  fatigued  by  it. 

When  at  home,  he  devotes  much  time  to  his  large 
congregation,  particularly  to  those  who  are  ill  or  in 
distress ;  and  there  are  many  other  duties  that  leave 
him  but  little  time. 

We  came  here  about  eleven  days  ago,  and  have 
found  these  Springs  a  delightful  retreat  from  the 
bustle  of  the  city.  What  would  render  it  a  dull 
place  to  most  people,  has  given  it  a  charm  to  us,  viz  : 
the  absence  of  company — it  is  yet  too  early  for 
visitors  to  resort  here.  In  this  calm  and  rural  spot, 
surrounded  by  lofty  trees,  while  the  robins  and  other 
songsters  enliven  us  with  their  music,  Dr.  Bachman 
has  become  a  new  man.  Free  from  all  the  little 
cares  that  intruded  upon  his  hours  of  study  at  home, 


272  John  Bachman. 

he  goes  to  his  work,  not  as  a  task,  but  as  a  pleasing 
occupation  of  hours  that  would  otherwise  hang 
heavily  on  his  hands. 

He  is  every  day  cheered  by  the  progress  he  is 
making,  and  I  am  trying  to  assist  him  when  and 
where  I  can.  Do  not  mind  what  he  says  about  my 
criticisms,  as  I  should  never  presume  to  undertake 
to  do  all  that  he  jestingly  gives  me  credit  for.  At 
any  rate,  dear  Victor,  my  heart  is  cheered  by  being 
able  to  copy  for  the  printer,  &c.t  to  give  you  the  good 
tidings  that,  if  nothing  interferes  with  our  present 
plans,  your  mind  may  be  at  ease  about  the  Second 
Volume.  Some  of  the  greatest  difficulties  connected 
with  it  have  already  been  surmounted. 

WQ  intend  to  remain  here  until  we  are  driven  oft' 
by  the  fashionable  crowd.  My  love  to  your  mother 
and  to  all  around  you. 

Your  affectionate  aunt,  M.  B. 

The  fashionable  crowd  did  not  make  their  appear- 
ance, and  many  of  the  visitors  who  arrived  later, 
became  greatly  interested  in  the  "Quadrupeds."  All 
considerately  refrained  from  intruding  and  inter- 
rupting him  in  the  mornings.  They  were  content 
to  gather  around  him  in  the  evenings — they  asking 
and  he  answering  questions  connected  with  Natural 
History.  He  retired  early,  and  rose  at  daybreak, 
with  head  cool  and  mind  clear. 

We  find  from  Mrs  Bachman's  note-book  that, 
during  his  vacation,  Dr.  Bachman  preached  every 
Sunday  but  one,  either  at  the  Springs,  or  at  a  village 
church.  When  his  route  had  been  marked  out,  a 
deputation,  several  times,  met  him  at  the  station  to 
secure  his  services.  It  was  affirmed  bv  some  who 


A  Wedding.  273 

were  present,  that  they  had  never  heard  him  preach 
with  greater  fervor  or  freedom. 

FROM  HIS  DAUGHTER  HARRIET  (MRS.  W.  E. 
HASKELL.) 

TOTNESS,  July  1 8,  1849. 

"  I  hope  to  be  in  Charleston,  with  the  children,  to 
meet  you  on  your  arrival.  *  * 

My  baby,  with  her  winsome  ways,  is  very  sweet. 
Maria,  her  colored  nurse,  is  to  be  a  bride  to-night. 
The  washroom  has  been  thoroughly  prepared — the 
walls  whitened  and  dressed  with  evergreens.  Writ- 
ten invitations  have  been  sent  out  a  fortnight  since, 
and  all  the  servants  have  a  most  knowing  look.  I 
shall  leave  this  interesting  subject,  and  tell  you  of 
the  exploits  of  your  grandson,  John  Bachmari 
(Haskell).  *  *  *  * 

One  Sunday  afternoon  he  made  his  first  appear- 
ance at  Church.  We  took  him  to  Grace  Church,  his 
half-sisters  declaring  that  the  stained  glass  would 
amuse  him  and  keep  him  quiet.  Alas  !  as  soon  as 
the  responses  began,  he  joined  in,  and,  ere  long,  the 
spirit  of  fun  possessed  him.  As  I  turned  to  check 
him  he  rose  in  his  seat,  snatched  up  his  father's  hat, 
cocked  it  on  one  side  of  his  head,  and  imitating  his 
voice,  called  out :  "  Ben,  saddle  my  mare"  Poor  fellow, 
he  was  punished  by  not  being  allowed  to  go  to 
church  yesterday,  and  he  seemed  very  much 
ashamed  of  himself. 

You  say,  father,  that  my  boy  may  live  to  be  a 
great  man — God  grant  that  he  may  be  a  good  one! 
My  first-born,  how  my  heart  would  bleed  to  find 
him  guilty  of  any  low  or  mean  action."  *  *  * 

H.  E.  H. 


274  John  Bachman. 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON. 

CHARLESTON,  August  24th,  1849. 

We  arrived  at  home,  day  before  yesterday.  The 
best  news  I  can  give  you  is  that  my  health  continues 
to  improve ;  the  next  best  news,  that  the  Second 
Volume  is  almost  finished.  I  have  only  to  be  sure 
of  my  Latin  descriptions  (I  had  left  my  Latin  Dic- 
tionary at  home.) 

Maria  and  Haskell  have  a  little  copying  to  do, 
and  then  the  book  will  be  readV  for  the  press. 

J.  B. 

The  gold-fever  was  then  at  its  height  at  the  North. 
Mr.  John  Audubon  was  the  leader  of  an  expedition 
to  California,  in  1849. 

FROM  VICTOR  AUDUBON. 

My  brother  will  leave  us  in  a  few  days  for  Cali- 
fornia, he  will  be  absent,  perhaps  for  eighteen 
months. 

This  journey  is  undertaken  with  the  hope  that  he 
may  be  able  to  get  gold.  What  may  be  the  result, 
God  only  knows  John  will  be  accompanied  by  Col. 
H.  L.  Webb,  as  military  leader ;  the  party  consists  of 
about  eighty  picked  men.  One  of  Dr.  Mayer's  sons 
wished  to  go  with  John,  but  unluckily,  his  applica- 
tion came  after  the  party  was  made  up,  so  they 
could  not  take  him. 

I  should  like  much  to  see  you  all,  but  now  it  will 
be  impossible  for  me  to  go  so  far  from  home. 

My  dear  old  father  is  apparently  comfortable,  and 
enjoys  his  little  notions ;  but  requires  constant  care 
and  attendance ;  the  rest  are  well.  Your  grand- 
daughters are  growing  finely,  and  are  well  educated ; 
soon  we  shall  call  in  a  " maitre  de  danse"  to  polish 


A  Welcome  Home.  275 

them   up   and   improve   their  under  start  ding  (a  pun 
meant.) 

I  am  just  about  to  start  for  Washington,  to  get 
letters  from  the  President  for  John  and  I  will  try 
and  see  the  collection  brought  back  by  the  exploring 
expedition,  including  the  famous  Black-tail  Deer.  I 
am  in  a  great  bustle,  the  office  is  full  of  Californians. 

x  *  *  #  *  #  * 

V.  G.  A. 

From  various  unlooked-for  causes,  the  expedition 
proved  a  financial  failure.  Mr.  John  Audubon, 
however,  drew  many  lovely  views  of  California,  that 
were  afterwards  lithographed,  and  he  gained  valua- 
ble information  of  the  country. 

To  J.  W.  AUDUBON. 

July  13th,  1850. 

Dear  John — Hail  all  hail !  You  have  come  back 
alive  and  well,  thank  God  !  Now  take  courage.  I 
believe  you  have  brought  back  no  gold,  but  you 
have  brought  to  us  yourself.  You  have  found  wife 
and  children  safe  and  well,  so  be  thankful. 

Don't  fret,  you  have  gained  experience,  and  will 
have  long  yarns  to  spin.  You  have  youth  and 
health  on  your  side,  trust  in  God,  and  all  will  yet  be 
well.  You  did  your  best;  you  exhibited  bravery 
and  humanity,  and  experience  makes  a  man  wiser 
and  better. 

We  are  all  well.  Our  little  John  Bachman  is  a 
very  interesting  chap ;  he  calls  himself  "  Dr.  Bacli- 
manf  he  is  wilful  and  full  of  fun;  he  amuses  me 
and  vexes  me  by  turns ;  yet,  I  confess  that  I  do  not 
feel  quite  satisfied  if  he  is  not  sitting  at  table  on  his 
high  chair  at  my  side. 

Love  and  congratulations  to  all. 


276  John  Bachman. 

To  V.  G.  AUDUBON. 

CHARLESTON,  Sept.  1st. 

I  am  at  home  again,  have  just  returned  from  a 
trip  to  Graniteville. 

I  am  well  and  ready  to  begin  work,  (Third  Volume 
of  Quadrupeds.) 

I  remember  one  day  being  on  board  of  a  ship 
just  ready  to  sail.  The  sailors  had  been  drinking, 
and  the  captain  was  about  ready  to  use  the  rope's 
end.  The  lads  half  sobered  at  sight  of  "  the  cat- with - 
its-nine-tails,"  exclaimed,  "  Captain,  we  are  done 
cruising."  I  believe  I  can  now  say,  "  1  am  done 
cruising."  I  am  ready,  Victor,  for  work. 

I  have  a  world  of  things  to  say,  but  not  now.  as 
the  ship  is  ready  and  my  man  is  waiting. 

J.  B. 

The  Large  Edition  of  the  Quadrupeds,  was  pub- 
lished in  1849  and  1850.  It  contained  the  figures 
and  descriptions  of  the  Quadrupeds  of  the  United, 
States,  of  part  of  Mexico,  the  British  and  Russian 
Possessions,  and  the  Arctic  Regions  of  North 
America. 

In  1852,  a  miniature  copy  was  prepared  and  pub- 
lished with  additions.  His  son-in-law,  Victor  Andu- 
bon,  wrote  that  he  was  ready  to  come  and  relieve 
Mrs.  Bachman  of  her  labors  as  amanuensis,  in  con- 
nection with  the  additions  to  the  "  Smaller  Work." 

To  MR.  EDWARD  HARRIS,  OF  MORRISTOWN,  N.  J. : 

CHARLESTON,  March  13th,  1852. 
My  Dear  Sir :  Rejoice  with  me,  the  book  is  fin- 
ished.    I  did  not  expect  to  have  lived  to  complete 
it.     But  Victor  Audubon  came  on,  and  I  made  him 


A  Marmot  Squirrel.  277 

hold  the  pen,  while  I  dictated  with  specimens  and 
books  before  me,  and  we  went  on  rapidly  ;  we  worked 
hard,  and  now  we  are  at  the  end  of  our  labors.  I 
have,  at  last,  prevailed  on  them  to  give  the  Bats. 
At  the  end  of  the  work,  I  intend  to  give  a  synopsis 
and  scientific  arrangement  of  all  our  American  spe- 
cies, including  the  seals,  whales,  and  porpoises. 
This  will  be  included  in  the  letter-press  of  the  Third 
Volume. 

Here  I  will  venture  to  consult  you  in  regard  to 
the  publication  of  additional  plates  of  species,  not 
figured  in  the  Large  Work.  A  very  few  small 
Arvicola  and  Shrews,  we  may  not  obtain,  and  they 
cannot  be  figured  ;  but  nearly  all  are  within  our 
reach.  Some  of  the  subscribers  have  bound  up  their 
plates,  and  there  cannot  be  a  sufficient  number  to 
make  even  the  half  of  another  Volume.  I  propose, 
as  all  these  figures  will  be  contained  in  the  Small 
]\'vrk,  that  they  should  be  inserted  in  the  letter-press 
of  the  Large  Work,  so  that  the  subscribers,  by  merely 
paying  for  the  cost  of  the  small  plates,  would  have 
the  work  complete — what  think  you  of  this  ? 

What  think  you  of  Victor's  obtaining  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-nine  subscribers  in  about  three 
days,  and  I  think  that  he  will  double  the  number 
next  week  ;  so,  if  the  " Large  Work"  will  not  pay, 
the  "Small"  one,  and  this  is  large  enough,  is  sure  to 
do  it. 

But  I  had  almost  forgotten  the  main  object  of 
writing  to  you. 

Do  you  remember  a  small  animal,  a  Spermophile, 
that  resembles  "Says'  S.  lateralis,"  that  you  brought 
to  me.  I  took  it  for  that  animal,  although  Says' 
description  did  not  exactly  suit  it.  Since  then",  I 
have  received  Says'  species,  and  on  comparing  them, 
T  find  that  yours  is  a  new  species  which  I  have 
named  Spermophilus  Harrisii.  Now,  as  you  have 


278  John  Bachman. 

been  flying  to  immortality  on  the  wings  of  wood- 
peckers and  other  birds,  you  may  be  unwilling  to 
submit  to  the  slow  process  of  riding  thither  on  the 
back  of  a  Marmot  Squirrel.  But  you  must  endure 
it,  as  I  was  compelled  to  do,  when  a  shaboy  fellow 
in  the  back  country,  who  had  never  seen  me,  walked 
some  miles  to  show  me  a  dirty  little  urchin,  with- 
out shoes  and  stockings,  hat  or  clean  face,  whom  he 
had  named  John  Bachman.  Now  what  do  you  know 
of  the  history  of  this  little  name-sake  of  yours  ? 
Where  was  it  procured,  and  did  it  live  in  communi- 
ties like  the  rest  of  its  species  ?  I  see  it  has  cheek- 
pouches. 

Mrs.  Bachman  and  Victor  join  me  in  kind  re- 
membrances to  you  and  to  Mrs.  Harris. 

In  March,  Victor  Audubon,  previous  to  his  return 
to  New  York,  visited  Savannah  and  Augusta,  Ga. 

In  a  sketch  of  Audubon's  life,  contained  in  a 
Northern  journal,  we  read  this  sentence,  in  reference 
to  "  The  Quadrupeds  of  North  America" :  "  Dr.  Bach- 
man, of  Charleston,  helped  in  the  compilation  of  this 
work." 

We  insert  the  following  letter  of  introduction, 
which  we  find  in  Dr.  Bachman's  hand-writing ;  it 
tells  us  the  part  he  took  in  the  letter-press  of  "  The 
Quadrupeds  of  North  America."  The  inscription 
of  the  letter  is  wanting.  It  was  written  to  a  friend 
residing  in  Savannah,  Ga. 

CHARLESTON,  March  25th,  1852. 

My  Dear  Sir :  My  son-in-law,  Victor  G.  Audubon, 
is  on  a  rapid  visit  to  the  South,  and  has  a  week  or 
two  to  spare,  which  he  is  desirous  of  devoting  to  the 


The  American  Quadrupeds.  279 

obtaining  of  subscribers  to  the  "  American  Quadru- 
peds." The  Work  (Miniature)  will  be  complete  in 
about  thirty  numbers,  furnished  monthly  at  $1.00 
per  number. 

The  figures  were  made  by  the  Audubons,  and  the 
descriptions  and  letter-press  were  prepared  by  my- 
self. 

I  have  no  pecuniary  interest  in  this  work,  as  I 
have  cheerfully  given  my  own  labors  without  any 
other  reward  than  the  hope  of  having  contributed 
something  toward  the  advancement  of  the  cause  of 
Natural  History  in  our  country.  I  am,  however, 
anxious  that  the  Audubons  should,  by  a  liberal  sub- 
scription, receive  some  remuneration  for  the  labors 
and  heavy  expenses  incurred  in  getting  up  this 
work.  Of  the  character  of  the  work  it  does  not  be- 
come me  to  say  much.  I  will  only  add  that  in  my 
department  is  summed  up  the  result  of  investiga- 
tions pursued  through  a  long  life,  and,  I  think,  the 
figures  have  never  been  equalled  in  any  publication 
either  in  Europe  or  America. 

May  I  bespeak  from  you  a  little  aid  to  my 
esteemed  son-in-law,  Mr.  Audubon,  in  assisting  him 
to  procure  subscribers.  He  is  a  stranger  in  your 
city ;  his  time  is  limited,  and  his  stay  among  you 
will  necessarily  be  short. 

By  the  aid  of  two  friends  here,  he  obtained  two 
hundred  and  fifty  subscribers  in  a  few  days.  * 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON: 

April  3rd,  1852. 

The  Bats  send  their  best  respects  to  you  and  say 
that  they  are  nearly  dissected,  clean  shirts  on  their 
backs  and  with  a  little  extra  brushing  will  be  ready 
to  see  callers.  We  have  had  a  strange  visitor  here. 
Two  Seals  made  their  appearance,  one  on  the  beach 


280  John  Bachman. 

near  the  light-house  and  another  at  Beaufort.  They 
were  both  taken.  One  I  saw  alive,  but  the  man 
who  seized  him,  gave  him  an  unlucky  blow,  of 
which  he  subsequently  died.  I  described  him  to- 
day, and  regret  exceedingly  that  you  were  not  here 
to  figure  him.  It  is  admirably  set  up  at  the  college. 
I  really  wish  we  had  a  decent  figure  of  this  rare  and 
most  extraordinary  animal.  It  has  four  legs,  a  tail 
thickly  clothed  with  soft,  glossy  hair,  and  is  as  much 
a  quadruped  as  the  Otter.  What  folly  it  would 
have  been  not  to  have  given  the  Seals — we  might  as 
well  have  omitted  the  Deer  or  the  Bear. 

I  give  now  a  report  of  the  family.  Immediately 
after  you  left,  Haskell  was  taken  quite  sick — a  man. 
is  an  impatient  patient — grumbling  and  fretting.  To- 
day he  is  down  stairs,  but  looks  as  though  he  had 
been  drawn  through  an  auger  hole. 

C.  has  run  a  needle  into  her  leg — it  happened 
a  week  ago,  and  the  doctor  cannot  reach  it.  She 
limps  very  much,  but  bears  it  cheerfully.  At  noon 
my  son  W ,  leaves  for  his  farm  at  Waulesa,  Ga. 

All  join  me  in  love  to  you,  and  all  wish  you 
abundant  success  in  procuring  subscribers  at 
Marion.  We  are  glad  that  you  have  done  something 
in  Savannah,  and  trust  that  Augusta  and  Columbia, 
will  use  you  as  well. 

April  9th.  Will  you  not  return  to  New  York  by 
the  way  of  Charleston  and  sail  from  here,  take  a 
manuscript  volume  in  your  pocket,  and  four  hun- 
dred good  and  true  names  on  your  list.  * 

The  people  have  found  out  that  I  am  no  longer 
writing  a  Book,  and  they  pounce  on  me  morning, 
noon  and  night.  I  have  arranged  all  the  bats  but 
one,  and  am  writing  descriptions  of  their  habits, 
etc.  I  have  nearly  finished,  in  fact. 

They  bring  me  word  that  I  have  another  grand- 
child. It  is  not  christened  yet  (H.  E.  II.),  but  is  a 


The  Study  and  Garden.  281. 

little  queen ;  she  has  sent  me  no  message ;  but  I  pre- 
sume I  will  soon  have  her  love.     *     *     * 

My  garden  was  finished  this  evening — it  is  nearly 

planted,  and  I  have  raised  the  whole  about  two  feet. 

*         *         *         * 

Aunt  Maria  wishes  me  to  stop,  as  she  has  much  to 
say  to  you,  and  may  criss-cross  this  letter.  She  is 
rather  shackling.  *  *  * 


FROM  MRS.  BACHMAN. 

Really,  dear  Victor,  I  do  not  intend  to  give  you 
such  an  infliction  as  a  long,  " criss  cross"  letter,  but 
only  to  add  a  few  friendly  words  of  chit  chat,  to  let 
you  know  that,  although  I  am  rather  shackling,  I  am 
still  able  to  hold  a  pen  and  to  make  a  pudding.  I 
sincerely  wish  that  you  were  here  to  share  the  latter 
with  us.  *  *  * 

Dr.  B.  feels  the  loss  of  his  companion,  both  in  the 
study  and  in  the  garden,  and  will  be  very  glad  to 
show  you  the  progress  he  has  made  in  both  depart- 
ments since  you  left  here. 

The  weather  has  been  quite  cool  for  some  days, 
but  is  warmer  now.  The  gardens  are  lovely.  Mr. 
Chisolm's  is  beautiful.  Hoping  very  soon  to  see  you, 
I  am  ever  your  affectionate  friend  and  aunt, 

M.  BACHMAN. 


The  year  previous,  January  2nd,  1851,  his  daugh- 
ter Lynch  had  been  united  in  marriage  to  Robert 
T.  Chisolm,  Esq. 

His  son-in-law's  taste  for  flowers,  and  well  culti- 
vated garden,  were  a  source  of  great  pleasure  to  Dr. 
Bach  man. 


282  John  Bacliman. 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON: 

JULY,  1852. 

Your  box  arrived  safely,  and  your  two  proofs 
came  together,  I  return  the  latter ;  they  were  so 
carefully  print  ed  that  there  was  not  a  word  to  cor- 
rect. 

P has  gone  to  the  Virginia  Springs.  I  have 

reason  to  believe  that  he  is  good  pay,  and  that  you 
may  confidently  depend  on  him.  He  makes  a  good 
deal  of  money  by  his  law  practice,  but  his  wife  is 
always  pulling  out  the  plug  from  the  bung-hole. 

I  have  not  troubled  my  head  much  about  politics ; 
but  I  cannot  swallow  Scott.  I  go  with  South  Caro- 
lina for  Pierce ;  Taylor  humbugged  us  so  much  that 
I  mean  to  trust  no  more  Seward  Whigs. 

My  daughters,  Harriet  and  Lynch,  brought  their 
babies  to  church  yesterday,  and  they  were  baptized. 
All  join  me  in  love  to  your  mother  and  to  John, 
and  to  my  little  saddle-bridle  racers.  *  *  :  J.  B. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

1852. 
LETTERS  AND  JOURNEYS. 

LETTER  ON  EDUCATION  OF  DAUGHTERS — VISIT  TO  EUFAULA — A 
LETTER  OF  INVITATION  TO  THE  NORTH — THE  INVITATION 
ACCEPTED — TOUR  OF  THE  GREAT  LAKES — DR.  JARED  P.  KIRT- 

LAND. 

To    MRS.    H.,   WITH    REGARD   TO   THE   EDUCATION   OF 
HER  DAUGHTERS. 

CHARLESTON,  January,  1852. 

DEAR  MES.  H. — The  expression  of  your  grateful 
feelings  in  your  note  of  yesterday,  for  a  very  slight 
favor ;  but,  more  especially,  the  confidence  you  have 
reposed  in  me  in  asking,  and  kindly  receiving  my 
counsel,  induce  me  to  hope  that  this  hastily  written 
letter,  may  neither  be  unacceptable,  nor  altogether 
unprofitable  to  you,  during  your  absence  from  your 
native  State.  (South  Carolina.) 

I  feel  as  if  I  were  familiarly  conversing  with  a 
daughter,  who,  in  all  confidence  is  looking  up  to  me 
for  advice.  I  shall  speak,  without  constraint,  with 
you  on  a  variety  of  topics — some  of  far  less  impor- 
tance than  others. 

If  you  have  not  an  escort  to  the  North,  get  some 
one  who  is  acquainted  with  the  Captain,  to  intro- 
duce you,  and  secure  for  you  the  proper  attention  ; 
if  my  services  are  necessary,  you  may  command 
them.  From  Philadelphia,  I  think,  you  can  travel 
the  whole  way  by  rail,  and  reach  Bethlehem  the  same 


284  John  Bachman. 

day.  Go  to  the  hotel,  which  is  I  hear,  comfortable, 
and  send  my  letter,  at  once,  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wolle. 

For  some  months  you  may  feel  alone  in  Bethle- 
hem, and,  if  I  have  not  misinterpreted  your  feelings, 
you  would  welcome  solitude  and  indulge  in  the 
luxury  of  grief  This  is  the  course  against  which 
I  would  strive  to  guard  you.  Your  life,  your  health, 
and  the  powers  of  your  mind,  are  all  essential  for  the 
mental  training  and  happiness  of  your  children. 

In  the  days  of  youth  and  romance,  I  committed  to 
memory  in  the  original  nearly  the  whole  of  "  Zirn- 
mermann  on  Solitude"  and  fancied  that  to  fly  from 
the  world,  and  to  indulge  in  melancholy  thoughts, 
would  best  promote  virtue,  and  fit  for  heaven. 

In  more  mature  life,  and  as  age  was  advancing, 
.my  theory  was  put  to  the  test.  One  blow  of  afflic- 
tion after  another  fell  on  my  head,  and  my  daughters, 
with  their  mother — happy,  because  they  were  good, 
were  removed  from  me.  I  then  found  that  faith  and 
trust  in  God,  and  the  hope  of  a  blessed  resurrection, 
together  with  constant  occupation  and  the  faithful 
performance  of  duty,  presented  far  higher  claims  to 
the  Christian,  and  were  far  better  calculated  to 
assuage  grief,  than  exclusion  from  the  world  and 
retirement  from  its  duties. 

While  I  am  writing,  the  cold  wind  is  driving- 
snow  flakes  against  my  window,  and  the  earth  is 
already  lightly  covered  with  a  white  mantle ;  the 
sight  recalls  to  my  mind  the  rigorous  Winters  of  the 
North,  and  almost  disposes  me  to  regret  that  you  do 
not  postpone  your  visit  until  Spring.  At  any  rate, 
it  suggests  the  necessity  for  warm  clothing,  heavy 
flannels  and  cloaks  to  suit  your  Southern  constitu- 
tion— but,  in  time,  perhaps,  you  may  even  sound  the 
praises  of  the  fur-muff  and  tippet. 

Soon,  I  hope,  you  will  feel  less  lonely  and  more 
composed. 


The  Education  of  Daughters.  285 

You  will  find  employment  in  attending  to  your 
and  your  daughters  apparel ;  in  studying  economy, 
which  is  a  virtue ;  in  watching  the  improvement  of 
your  daughters  in  knowledge  and  virtue;  in  keep- 
ing up  a  correspondence  with  those  who  are  in- 
terested in  your  welfare,  and  in  reading  interesting 
works.  Associate  with  a  few  choice,  intelligent  and 
pious  friends,  above  all,  do  not  neglect  self-examina- 
tion, and  intercourse  with  your  Heavenly  Father. 

Should  time  still  hang  heavy  on  your  hands,  you 
have  opportunities  of  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the 
French  and  German  language,  (the  latter,  which  is 
spoken  in  its  purity  at  Bethlehem,  is  one  of  the 
richest  languages  in  the  world,  in  history,  poetry, 
science  and  philosophy.)  The  acquisition  of  these 
and  other  languages,  beguiled  many  a  leisure  hour 
of  my  life,  and  they  were  brought  into  requisition 
while  travelling  during  eight  months,  without  an 
interpreter,  through  nearly  all  the  Kingdoms  of 
Europe. 

Thus,  by  constant  occupation,  I  am  sure  you  will 
so  beguile  the  sorrows  of  a  bruised  heart,  as  to  be 
able  to  discharge  your  duties,  to  look  on  the  glorious 
heavens  and  the  smiling  earth,  and  feel  that  the 
Lord  has  not  hid  the  light  of  His  countenance  from 
you.  Nay,  you  may  almost  realize  the  dream  of 
the  poet's  Elysium,  (I  quote  from  memory) : 

"Content,  retirement,  friendship,  books,  ease  and 

alternate  labor ; 
Progressive  virtue,  and  approving  heaven." 

In  the  moral  and  mental  training  of  your  daugh- 
ters, I  would  advise  that  you  become  their  com- 
panion and  confidant.  Do  not  keep  them  at  a  dis- 
tance— let  them  feel  that  their  mother  is  their  best 
earthly  friend.  Make  due  allowance  for  their 
youth— the  happy  years.  Try  to  smile  with  them 


286  John  Bachman. 

when  they  are  happy,  and  restrain  them  only  in 
thoughts  and  actions  that  would  lead  to  sin.  Be  a 
watchful,  but  not  too  anxious  a  mother.  Do  your 
duty,  and  then  cheerfully  and  contentedly  draw 
largely  on  the  promises  of  your  Heavenly  Father, 
who  will  ever  be  the  protector  and  guide  of  the 
widow  and  the  fatherless. 

In  the  education  of  your  daughters,  I  do  not  ob- 
ject to  the  ornamental  parts,  but  let  the  essentials  of 
a  solid  English  education,  be  particularly  attended 
to :  Reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  grammar,  and 
geography,  with  the  use  of  maps  and  globes,  history, 
book-keeping,  etc. 

Give  them  such  a  thorough  education  that  in  any 
reverse  of  circumstances,  they  may  pursue  honora- 
ble and  useful  employments ;  or,  on  the  other  hand, 
may  discharge  their  duties  as  wives,  mothers,  and 
happy  members  of  society. 

Industry,  intelligence,  refinement,  and  pure  re- 
ligion, form,  in  my  estimation,  the  characteristics  of 
a  true  lady.  I  confess,  that  I  have  little  patience 
with  our  fashionable,  lazy  young  lady,  who  spends 
her  nights  at  balls,  and  her  days  in  lolling  on  the 
sofa  with  a  novel,  leaving  her  poor  mother  to  toil, 
economize — and  to  speculate  for  her.  Doll-babies 
are  pretty  play-things  for  children,  but  intelligent 
men  will  not  resort  to  them — even  as  a  pastime. 

It  would  almost  appear  at  first  sight,  as  if  I  were 
venturing  on  forbidden  ground,  wrere  I  to  advise  you 
more  particularly  in  regard  to  the  practice  of  the 
duties  of  religion — on  which  all  your  earthly  peace, 
and  all  your  hopes  for  the  future  depend.  I  have 
always  prayed  to  be  preserved  against  bigotry  and  I 
have  escaped  I  think,  the  charge  of  a  desire  to  make 
proselytes.  The  true  Christian,  I  hail  as  brother  or 
sister,  by  what  ever  name  he  may  be  called.  *  *  * 
You  and  I,  are  not  very  likely  to  dispute  about  forms 


A  Memento.  287 

of  religion.  I  have  said  this  much,  that  I  may  have 
your  confidence.  Be  assured,  that  while  you  pre- 
serve the  essentials  of  religion,  your  faith  in  God, 
your  faith  in  the  divinity  and  atonement  of  Christ, 
and  the  necessity  of  a  new  heart  and  life,  I  shall  rejoice 
to  know  that  you  are  a  child  of  God,  and  an  heir  of 
heaven;  and  to  feel  that  when  we  are  gathered  to  our 
rest,  we  shall  meet  in  a  world  where  human  error 
and  imperfection  shall  be  obliterated  in  the  clear 
light  of  truth  and  immortality. 

I  did  not  think  when  I  sat  down  to  write  you  a 
few  lines,  that  I  should  have  drawn  out  this  letter 
to  such  a  length. 

If  I  have  been  tedious,  you  must  ascribe  it  to  an  old 
man's  infirmities.  You  have  solicited  my  prayers, 
you  have  them,  and  if  the  supplications  of  a  poor, 
imperfect  mortal,  can  avail,  you  and  your  children 
will  be  very  good  and  very  happy. 

After  a  few  months,  you  can  judge  if  the  school 
at  Bethlehem  presents  those  literary,  moral,  and 
religious  advantages  that  you  require ;  should  it  not 
prove  satisfactory,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  select 
another;  but,  in  this  case,  inform  me,  as  I  have 
friends  at  the  North,  and  a  general  acquaintance 
with  Northern  Institutions. 

When  you  arrive  at  Bethlehem,  and  have  rested 
from  your  journey,  I  shall  be  much  gratified  to  hear 
from  you. 

Believe  me,  very  sincerely  your  friend, 

J.  B. 

A  memento  of  this  friendship  is  still  preserved  in 
Dr.  Bachman's  family. 

Hair  work  was  exquisitely  wrought  at  Bethle- 
hem, and  Mrs.  H.,  learned  the  art  there.  Obtaining, 
without  Dr.  Bachman's  knowledge,  a  lock  of  the 


288  John  Bachman. 

hair  of  every  member  of  his  family,  she  wove  it  into 
a  wreath  of  flowers  and  leaves.  The  main-stem  was 
formed  of  our  mother's  hair,  and  the  "  Heart's  Ease" 
of  our  father's:  the  hair  of  the  little  babies  of  the 
family — just  long  enough  for  pistils  and  stamens  to 
the  flowers,  completed  the  family  wreath. 

The  following  sprightly  letter  was  written  on  the 
occasion  of  a  flying  visit  to  Alabama  to  perform  the 
marriage  rite  for  his  wife's  nephew,  M.  D.  S.,  Esqr., 
of  Charleston  : 

To  MRS.  BACHMAN  : 

EUFAULA,  ALA.,  December,  1851. 

In  former  years  I  had  doubts  if  I  should  ever 
tread  on  the  soil  of  Alabama ;  now,  although  I  am 
only  in  one  corner  of  it,  I  can  say,  "  I  am  in  Ala- 
bama." I  do  not,  however,  feel  as  if  I  had  entered 
into  a  new  region.  The  same  sun  is  shining ;  the 
same  long-leaved  pines  are  growing,  and  the  same 
sandy  region  presents  itself  as  in  Carolina  (about 
the  region  of  Columbia). 

My  last  letter  to  you  was  from  Macon,  Georgia. 
Dr.  S.  came  to  take  me  out  of  the  city  to  baptize  two 
of  his  children.  I  visited  some  Indian  mounds,  and 
made  many  pleasant  acquaintances. 

In  the  evening  G.  and  his  wife  arrived  ;  later  one 
party  after  another  came  in  on  different  roads,  dis- 
turbing our  slumbers.  We  took  breakfast  before 
daylight,  and,  in  a  few  hours,  reached  the  terminus 
of  the  Railroad,  Oglethorpe. 

We  soon  ascertained  that  there  was  but  one  coach 
(and  that  would  hold  comfortably  only  four  persons), 
and  there  were  about  a  dozen  passengers.  We  there- 
fore commissioned  the  groom  elect  to  be  ready  for  a 


A  Coach  Ride  to  Eufaula.  289 

ring  just  as  the  cars  stopped — to  secure  the  seats. 

e  accomplished  the  feat  in  fine  style.  Two  strap- 
ping clerks  went  on  the  top — grumbling.  We  had 
eighty  three  miles  to  go  with  miserable  horses. 
Presently  it  began  to  rain,  and  then  to  pour ;  the 
night  was  pitch  dark  ;  the  streams  swollen,  and  the 
hills  high  and  slippery;  we  traveled  scarcely  more 
than  three  miles  an  hour,  as,  at  every  steep  hill,  we 
had  to  get  out.  To  go  over  shoe  tops  was  a  small 
affair ;  I  plunged  in  up  to  my  knees.  To  crown  all, 
Mrs.  G.'s  sympathies  compelled  her  to  invite  the 
strangers  on  the  top  into  the  coach.  Mr.  G.  took 
her  on  his  lap,  and  I  had  the  two  men  on  either 
side  of  me,  soaked  with  rain,  smashing  me  into  a 
cocked  hat.  So  we  crawled  along  for  twenty-two 
hours.  A  bridge  had  been  washed  away.  I  and  the 
other  gentlemen  crossed  on  the  sleepers,  while  Mrs. 
G.  kept  possession  of  the  coach — delighted  at  the  idea 
of  an  adventure.  At  length  we  reached  Eufaula  in 
safety ;  express  riders  had  announced  our  coming. 
Mr.  I).,  a  wealthy  planter,  with  a  pretty  young  wife, 
gives,  to-day,  a  dinner  party  and  a  great  deer  hunt, 
on  my  account,  they  tell  me.  They  have  learned 
here  that  I  am  a  good  shot,  if  I  am  good  for  nothing 
else.  I  have,  however,  declined  to  go,  as  I  am  very 
hoarse  from  exposure,  and  cannot  speak  above  a 
whisper.  I  have  had  to  disappoint  these  kind  peo- 
ple, who  had  made  up  their  minds  that  I  was  to 
preach  for  them.  Instead  I  became  a  listener,  and 
heard  three  pretty  good  sermons  during  the  day — 
one  from  a  Baptist,  the  second  from  an  Episcopalian, 
and  the  third  from  a  Methodist.  I  should  have 
omitted  the  night  service,  for  I  increased  my  cold — 
the  lady  doctors  are  dosing  me  with  catnip  tea,  and 
nursing  me  up.  I  am  better,  and  hope  to  be  suffi- 
ciently well  to  tie  a  knot  to-morrow  evening,  that 
neither  the  devil  nor  his  angels  can  break. 


290  John  Bachman. 

Now  let  me  draw  you  a  picture  of  your  intended 
niece,  though  you  know  I  am  not  good  at  sketching 
a  lady,  and  always  have  to  borrow  your  hand,  even 
when  I  attempt  to  draw  a  monkey  for  Julia,  (his 
little  granddaughter). 

Now  I  must  not  romance,  but  look  at  the  creature 
as  God  made  her.  Stand  up  C.  and  show  your  good 
and  bad  points — always  putting  the  best  foot  foremost. 
Her  eyes  are  fine ;  she  is  rather  under  height  and 
inclined  to  be  a  little  stout.  She  dresses  simply  ;  is 
without  pretension  and  makes  no  blue-stocking  dis- 
play ;  yet  she  has  upset  the  bachelor,  and  produced 
a  change  in  the  inner  and  outer  man.  In  her 
language  and  manner  she  is  confiding ;  she  seems 
domestic,  industrious  and  remarkably  amiable.  I 
am  sure  that  you  will  like  her,  as  I  do.  The  groom 
is  at  a  miserable,  uncomfortable  public  house — the 
best  and  the  worst  in  the  place.  I  tell  him  that  he 
is  an  apprentice  now  ;  but  will  soon  have  the  honors 
and  comforts  of  a  master  workman. 

The  bride's  brother  is  a  young  lawyer,  admirably 
suited  to  a  new  country  opening  a  wide  field  for  en- 
terprise and  adventure.  He  is  a  man  of  decided 
popular  talent;  a  politician,  stump- orator,  an  editor 
with  fine  business  capacities,  and  withal  a  noble, 
generous,  whole  souled  fellow.  I  like  this  young 
man  very  much. 

There  are  such  preparations  for  the  wedding,  as 
never  before  awaked  the  echoes  of  Eufaula.  Fruits 
from  Charleston — people  coming  fifty  miles.  The 
little  world  of  Alabama  is  turned  topsy  turvey  and 
the  venison,  the  turkeys  and  the  ducks,  are  to  be 
offered  up  by  hecatombs,  on  the  altar  of  Hymen.  I 
look  at  it  all  as  a  philosopher,  enjoy  it,  and  yet  I 
shall  be  glad  to  be  back  in  my  quiet  home. 

I  will  leave  here  on  Wednesday  at  two  P.  M.,  and 
travel  all  night  in  the  coach,  and  if  no  accident 


Return  Home.  291 

happens,  shall  reach  Savannah,  Thursday  night, 
take  the  steamer,  and  be  at  home  Friday,  at 
eleven  A.  M.  There  may  be  a  disappointment— the 
coach  sometimes  breaks  down,  or  a  horse  dies  on  the 
road,  and  then  there  is  a  stand-still  for  a  day.  Send 
for  me  on  Friday.  My  love  to  all. 

No  disappointment  occurred  and  Saturday  found 
the  Pastor  in  his  study  busily  preparing  for 
Sunday. 

FROM  MRS.  J.  J.  AUDUBON: 

MINNIE'S  LAND,  March  31st,  1852. 

"  In  my  last  letter  I  reminded  you  that  as  sous 
and  daughters  were  away  from  your  home  and 
your  family  consisted  of  only  four,  you  might  all 
come  and  spend  a  few  months  in  this  latitude ;  it 
would  be  of  service  to  you  all.  Victor  will,  write  to 
repeat  my  request.  The  visit  would  be  to  me  a 
great  pleasure,  in  which,  I  am  sure,  all  at  our  home 
would  participate. 

You  will  find  some  changes  in  the  outward,  as 
well  as  inward  circumstances  around  us.  (Audubon 
is  dead). 

I  have  been  planting  various  favorite  shrubs  and 
creepers  over  the  resting  place  of  your  old  friend  ; 
his  cell  is  as  quiet  and  solemn  a  resting  place  as  the 
mind  can  conceive — and  all,  but  the  remembrance 
of  his  goodness,  is  gone  forever. 

The  children  send  their  love  to  grandfather  and 
to  all  around  you,  in  which  I  most  heartily  unite. 

Hoping  that  you  will  accede  to  our  wishes. 
I  remain,  yours  affectionately, 

LUCY  AUDUBON. 

We  learn  from  the  following  letter,  that  the  invi- 
tation was  accepted. 


292  John  Bachman. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Bachman  spent  a  few  days  with  their 
friends  at  "Minnie's  Land,"  N.  Y.,  and  then  made  a 
rapid  tour  of  the  "Great  Western  Lakes." 

FROM  MRS.  BACHMAN  TO  THE  DAUGHTERS  AT  HOME  : 
DETROIT,  MICHIGAN,  June  18th,  1852. 

We  are  here  nearly,  or  quite  fifteen  hundred  miles 
from  our  home,  which  we  only  left  three  weeks  ago. 
Ten  days  of  that  time  we  spent  with  the  Audubons, 
at  "Minnie's  Land."  We  left  our  friends  well  on 
Monday  last,  at  7  A.  M. 

The  cars  on  the  Great  Erie  Railroad  were  com- 
fortable, but  crowded.  We  travelled  on  that  day 
two  hundred  and  eighty-three  miles  without  stop- 
ping lor  dinner;  the  route  was  interesting,  and  when 
we  approached  the  last  tributary  waters  of  the  Dela- 
ware River,  the  scenery  was  romantic  in  the  extreme. 

On  we  went  at  rapid  speed,  stopping  only  fifteen 
minutes  for  refreshment.  I  did  not  desire  anything; 
but  at  4  P.  M.,  feeling  exhausted,  I  fancied  a  cup  of 
tea.  When  the  announcement  was  made  "five 
minutes  for  refreshments,"  your  father  in  haste  pro- 
cured the  tea.  It  was  good ;  but  so  hot,  that  I 
realized  the  old  adage  "  Many  a  slip  'twixt  the  cup 
and  the  lip."  But  even  the  small  quantity  I  took 
refreshed  me,  and  the  little  incident  afforded  us 
amusement. 

We  did  not  intend  to  stop  at  Dunkirk  ;  but  at 
Elmira  discovered  the  loss  of  one  of  our  trunks. 
We  therefore  concluded  to  wait  for  it  at  Dunkirk  ; 
the  agent  telegraphed  to  the  different  stations  to 
have  it  sent  up  by  an  express  train. 

I  cannot  omit  a  pleasing  incident,  an  act  of  hos- 
pitality from  a  Northern  man,  on  whom  we  had  not 
the  slightest  claim.  Mr.  Nottingham,  (at  the  head 
of  the  R.  R.  department  here)  when  your  father 


Northern  Hospitality.  293 

asked  him  to  recommend  him  to  a  public  house,  said 
"There  is  none  I  can  recommend.  If  you  do  not 
object  to  a  private  house,  I  think  that  I  can  make 
you  comfortable.7'  He  took  us  to  his  own  house, 
where  we  were  delightfully  accommodated.  We  re- 
mained with  these  excellent  people  until  the  next 
day,  (during  the  night  our  trunk  arrived.)  Of 
course  we  expected  to  pay  for  private  board ;  but 
they  would  not  listen  to  it.  Mrs.  N,  insisting  that 
our  visit  had  afforded  them  great  pleasure — surely 
we  could  not  have  been  more  hospitably  entertained 
at  the  South.  *  * 

We  took  the  Steamer  at  Dunkirk  for  Detroit ;  the 
quiet  day  and  night  on  the  lake  has  refreshed  us. 
Your  father  is  full  of  life  and  spirits.  He  has  a 
great  desire  to  see  a  prairie  and  some  of  the  natural 
productions  of  these  Western  lakes — I  do  like  to  see 
him  enjoy  himself!  He  fears  that  he  will  not  have 
time  to  go  farther  West,  as  this  is  already  the  18th 
of  June,  and  we  must  be  in  New  York  by  the  end 
of  the  month,  and  he  is  obliged,  too,  to  stop  a  day  or 
two  in  Philadelphia.  * 

We  think  of  you  constantly,  and  wish  that  you 
were  writh  us  ;  but  as  it  could  not  be,  it  is  cheering 
to  hear  from  you  that  you  are  comfortable  and 
happy  at  home.  Travelling  is  very  pleasant ;  but  I 
think  that  we  shall  have  even  more  gratification  in 
telling  you  of  all  that  we  have  found  interesting, 
than  in  the  actual  enjoyment  at  the  time. 

Your  father  is  as  despairingly  in  search  of  a  beau- 
tiful woman,  as  Japheth  was  of  his  father. 

With  love.  M.  B. 

This  search  for  a  beautiful  woman,  repeatedly 
alluded  to  in  Dr.  Bachman's  letters,  suggests  the 
thought,  that  unconsciously  the  father's  eye  and 


294  John  Bachman. 

heart  were  seeking  a  face  that  possessed  the  spiritual 
beauty  of  his  daughter  Julia. 

When  they  reached  the  picturesque  lake  city, 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  Dr.  Bachman  found,  to  his  surprise, 
Dr.  Jared  P.  Kirtland  awaiting  his  arrival.  Dr. 
Kirtland,  the  eminent  Professor,  Physician,  and  man 
of  varied  acquirements,  was  well  known  by  reputa- 
tion to  Dr.  Bachman;  but  probably  they  had  not 
met  before.  We  remember  Dr.  Bachman's  glowing 
description  of  the  extensive  orchards,  with  their  fruit- 
laden  trees ;  the  apiary  with  its  hundreds  of  bee- 
hives, its  busy  workers  and  wealth  of  honey ;  the 
gay  parterre  and  fragrant  flowers — the  senses  were 
all  captivated.  The  days  glided  away  too  swiftly 
in  the  society  of  their  genial  host,  his  delightful 
family,  and  a  chosen  circle  of  friends. 

Years  afterwards,  when  the  tide  of  bloody  war 
was  surging  over  our  land,  Dr.  Kirtland  did  not 
forget  his  Charleston  friend.  He  wrote  to  the  sur- 
geons of  the  Northern  Army  who  had  been  his  stu- 
dents, requesting  that,  if  in  the  chances  of  war,  they 
should  meet  with  Dr.  Bachman  in  need,  they  would 
succor  him  for  his  sake.  At  the  close  of  the  War, 
Dr.  Kirtland  journeyed  many  miles  out  of  his  way 
to  visit  his  friend  in  Charleston.  They  were  faithful 
correspondents  for  many  years  (we  regret  that  the 
letters  have  not  been  preserved).  Dr.  Kirtland  out- 
lived his  friend,  but  not  his  friendship  for  him.  This 
he  graciously  passed  over  to  his  family,  and  corres- 
ponded with  one  of  the  daughters  until  the  close  of 
his  honorable  life. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
LITERARY  WORK. 

OPBN-AIR  PREPARATION  FOR  LITERARY  WORK — DICTATION  TO* 
AMANUENSIS — PERSONAL  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  DR.  SUMMERS, 
AND  OF  DR.  JOHN  <i.  MORRIS — LITERARY  CLUB — ADVEN- 
TURES OF  A  CLUB-NIGHT — UNITY  OF  THE  HUMAN  RACE. 

WHEN  Dr.  Bachman  arrived  in  Charleston,  in 
1815,  in  very  delicate  health,  by  the  direction 
of  his  physician,  he  spent  much  of  his  time  on  the 
United  States  Revenue  Cutters  then  stationed  off 
Charleston  harbor.  The  invigorating  salt  air  benefited 
him  greatly  ;  but  unwilling  to  give  up  so  much  time 
to  what  seemed  to  him  merely  recreation,  he  formed 
the  habit  of  taking  with  him  his  little  blank  book 
and  noting  down  analogies,  etc.,  suggested,  often,  by 
the  natural  objects  that  presented  themselves.  Thus 
he  accomplished,  in  the  open  air,  much  of  the  pre- 
paratory work  for  his  sermons  and  scientific  publi- 
cations. His  hand  was  so  steady  that  he  could  use  his 
razor  in  shaving,  or  write  on  ship-board  with  almost 
as  much  comfort  as  when  on  land. 

Rev.  Dr.  Summers,  in  his  Personal  Recollections 
of  Dr.  Bachman,  writes  : 

"  In  preparing  for  the  pulpit,  the  Doctor  told  me 
that  he  usually  paced  the  floor  for  about  two  hours 


296  John  Bacliman. 

and  a  half  dictating  to  his  wife,  who  wrote  his  ser- 
mons for  him :  he  became  so  accustomed  to  her 
writing,  that  he  could  read  it  better  than  his  own." 

When  his  faithful  amanuensis  lost  the  use  of  her 
right  hand  from  a  fall,  a  daughter's  hand  was  used. 

After  dictating  a  sermon,  he  appeared  perfectly 
fresh,  and  would  sometimes  dictate  a  second  and 
shorter  one  for  the  afternoon.  His  habit  was  to 
select  his  text  on  Monday,  to  make  his  notes  during 
the  week,  and  to  write  out  his  sermon  or  sermons  on 
Saturday.  Sometimes  the  afternoon  sermon  was 
extemporaneous. 

He  dictated  rapidly,  seldom  changing  a  word ;  but 
on  Sunday  morning,  he  would  rise  at  day-break  and 
go  over  his  sermons,  sometimes  curtailing  or  adding 
to  the  same. 

His  delivery  was  clear  and  impressive,  and  his 
mind  filled  to  overflowing  with  his  subject — the 
amanuensis  was  often  surprised  at  the  happy  illus- 
trations interspersed,  which  were  not  contained  in 
the  written  sermon. 

The  habit  of  dictating  we  trace  from  1827,  when 
the  nerves  of  his  eyes  were  affected  by  the  fever 
contracted  on  the  Western  Lakes — which  so  nearly 
proved  fatal  to  his  life.  Dictating  had  its  advan- 
tages to  him.  It  not  only  saved  him  from  exhausting 
mechanical  labor,  and  from  bending  over  his  desk, 
but  from  something,  with  his  temperament,  even 
worse — from  working  alone.  The  wholesome  in- 
terest created  in  the  mind  of  his  first  amanuensis, 
spread  itself  to  all  the  members  of  the  family.  Even 


John  G.  Morris,  D.  D.  297 

the  younger  became  ambitious  to  copy  well  enough 
to  assist  their  father  in  the  mechanical  part  of  his 
work. 

Jn  1850,  the  General  Synod  of  the  United  States 
met  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  Dr.  Bachman,  wrote  to  a 
relative,  May  10th. :  "  Our  General  Synod  held  its 
sessions  in  St.  John's.  Ten  of  its  members  staid  at 
my  house — and  my  hands  were  full." 

John  G.  Morris,  D.  D.,*  of  Baltimore,  tells  us: 

"  It  was  the  first  time  we  had  met  South,  and  it 
was  a  happy  meeting."  Alluding  to  Dr.  Bach  man's 
earlier  connection  with  that  Synod,  he  continues : 

Rev.  John  Bachman  of  Charleston  had  been  for 
some  years  a  leading  man  in  the  Southern  Church, 
before  he  became  personally  known  to  the  same  class 
of  men  in  the  Central  Church.  His  first  appearance 
among  them,  was  as  a  member  of  the  General  Synod 
in  New  York,  in  1833,  when  he  endeared  himself  to 
them  all  by  his  courteous  manners,  his  high  social 
qualities,  his  varied  learning  and  his  churchly  activ- 
ity. He  was  gay  without  frivolity,  learned  without 
pedantry,  and  pious  without  asceticism.  He  had 
already  at  that  time,  acquired  a  great  reputation  as 
a  naturalists  ;  but  he  never  alluded  to  science  with- 
out being  asked  a  question. 

On  this  occasion,  at  York,  a  number  of  us  accom- 
panied him  on  a  botanical  excursion  up  the  Codorus 
Creek,  when  we  were  compelled,  not  only  to  admire 
his  familiarity  with  the  Flora  of  the  region,  and  his 
facility  in  discovering  the  names  of  the  few  plants 
unknown  to  him,  but  also  to  admire,  and,  at  the 
same  time  to  deplore,  his  extreme  agility  ;  for  heout- 

*Fifty  years  in  the  Lutheran  Ministry. 


298  John  Bachman. 

walked  some  much  younger  men  than  himself,  and 
left  the  older  lagging  far  behind. 

The  same  body  convened  in  his  Church  in  1850. 
Among  many  other  acts  of  kindness  shown,  Dr. 
Bachman  presented  every  clerical  member  of  the 
Synod  with  a  copy  of  his  celebrated  book,  "  On  the 
Unity  of  the  Human  Race." 

Dr.  Bachman  was  probably  the  founder  of  The 
Literary  Club  of  Charleston. 

He  was  elected  its  first  President  and  long  retained 
the  office.  Literary  and  scientific  attainments  were 
necessary  for  membership  ;  but  it  was  the  privilege 
of  each  member  to  invite  a  guest.  These  social  gath- 
erings were  both  instructive  and  enjoyable.  The 
evening  closed  with  simple  refreshments.  A  hot 
supper  would  have  infringed  upon  the  rules  of  the 
Society,  whose  motto  was  "High  thinking  and  plain 
living." 

Healthful  and  vigorous,  containing  within  itself 
the  germs  of  intellectual  life  and  growth,  the  So- 
ciety grew  to  noble  proportions,  with  the  promise  of 
increasing  strength  and  usefulness.  Charlestonians 
felt  a  just  and  generous  pride  in  the  attainments  of 
its  members.  Literary  men  and  scientists  who 
visited  Charleston,  Agassiz  and  a  host  of  others,  were 
its  honored  guests. 

On  one  occasion  the  subject  suggested  for  con- 
sideration was  "  Luther,  the  Reformer,"  and  Dr.  Bach- 
man was  requested  to  prepare  the  Essay.  Later 
(1853)  his  Protestant  fellow-citizens  called  upon  him 
for  a  more  public  defence  of  the  Great  Reformer. 


An  Agricultural  Survey.  299 

December,  1833,  the  subject  selected  was  :  "  An 
Inquiry  into  the  Nature  and  Benefits  of  an  Agricultural 
Survey  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina." 

"  The  Legislature  of  South  Carolina  had  made 
an  appropriation  for  an  Agricultural  Survey  of  the 
State,  and  the  question  naturally  suggested  itself, 
'  What  benefits  were  likely  to  result  from  the  libe- 
rality of  South  Carolina  in  fostering  her  agricultural 
interests  ?  '  The  question  was  ably  handled  by  the 
President  of  the  Club,  and  the  Essay  was  requested 
for  publication." 

The  preface  to  the  published  pamphlet  runs  thus  : 

The  writer  of  this  Essay  submits  a  few  words  of 
explanation  in  regard  to  the  circumstances  that  in- 
duced him  to  prepare,  and  finally  send  it  to  the 
press.  He  has  the  honor  of  belonging  to  a  Literary 
Club,  composed  of  a  limited  number  of  gentlemen 
from  the  different  learned  professions,  who  meet 
weekly  at  each  other's  houses  in  rotation,  for  the 
purpose  of  interchanging  sentiments,  and  promoting 
sociality.  A  subject  for  discussion  is  selected  at  one 
meeting,  which  forms  the  topic  of  conversation  on 
the  next.  The  question  for  the  evening  of  the  28th 
December,  1833,  was  :  "  What  benefits  may  be  de- 
rived from  an  Agricultural  Survey  of  the  State/' 
The  leisure  of  a  rainy  day  had  enabled  him  to  col- 
lect his  thoughts  on  the  subject,  and  in  part. commit 
them  to  paper.  The  Essay  was  therefore  prepared 
and  read  without  the  remotest  idea  of  publication. 
At  a  subsequent  meeting  the  Club,  under  an  im- 
pression that  it  might  afford  some  information  on  a 
subject  which  had  so  recently  been  agitated  at  Co- 
lumbia, requested  its  publication,  and  that  a  copy 
be  sent  to  the  Governor,  and  to  each  member  of  the 


300  John  Bachman. 

two  Houses  of  the  Legislature.  He  has  yielded  his 
assent  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of  his  literary  asso- 
ciates, and  especially  to  the  solicitations  and  libe- 
rality of  his  friends,  the  Hon.  D.  E.  linger,  and  the 
Hon.  Mitchell  King. 

The  pamphlet  was  published  January,  1834. 

The  papers  read  before  the  Society  were  often  in 
great  demand.  Sometimes  a  guest  from  Boston, 
New  York,  Philadelphia  or  some  other  literary 
centre,  would  request  the  loan  of  the  Essay  to  read 
before  some  scientific  association  of  which,  perhaps, 
they  were  both  members,  and  afterwards  it  was 
published  in  one  of  the  Northern  journals. 

Precisely  at  10.30  P.  M.,  according  to  rule,  the  de- 
bate was  closed,  and  the  company  were  invited  to 
partake  of  an  abundant,  but  inexpensive  spread- 
prepared  at  home.  Nothing  stronger  than  coffee 
and  lemonade  was  allowed.  It  is  affirmed,  however, 
that,  on  these  occasions,  the  ladies  never  failed  to 
receive  a  welcome  tribute  to  their  culinary  skill, 
proving  that  the  subjects  discussed  at  the  supper- 
table,  were  not  entirely  despised  by  these  profound 
philosophers. 

On  one  occasion  in  1853  Dr  Bachman  invited  as 
his  guest  Mr.  Wm.  Gregg,  the  successful  founder  of 
the  manufacturing  village  at  Graniteville,  S.  C. 
The  member  at  whose  house  the  Club  was  to 
meet,  lived  a  mile  away.  Mr.  G.  wrote  to  his 
friend :  "  Don't  trouble  yourself  to  order  your  buggy, 
I  w,ill  take  mine  and  call  for  you."  At  the  ap- 
pointed hour — off  they  drove.  Midnight  came, 


A  Club-Night.  30i 

then  one  P.  M.,  and  still  no  husband  and  father 
appeared  in  either  of  the  homes.  At  length  two 
benighted,  foot-sore,  sad  faced  men  stood  before 
Dr.  Bach  man's  street-door.  This  is  the  sorrowful 
tale  they  related  : 

"  When  we  came  out  in  good  time  from  the  club, 
the  horse  and  buggy,  which  we  had  expected  to  find 
safely  tied  before  the  door,  had  disappeared,  and  we 
have  been  vainly  searching  for  them  all  over  the 
city."  Early  the  following  morning  a  note  was  re- 
ceived from  Mr.  G .  The  horse  and  buggy  had 

been  found  near  the  guard-house,  without  a  driver, 
and  the  unknown  property,  for  safety,  had  been 
lodged  at  the  guard-house  for  the  night. 

The  next  evening,  on  the  supper-tables,  in  both 
homes,  a  large  envelope  occupied  a  conspicuous 
place  by  the  master's  plate.  It  bore  this  inscription  : 

"  The  Adventures  and  Sad  Consequences  of  a  Club- 
night:' 

The  poem  detailed  in  glowing  words,  the  fears, 
anxieties  and  sorrows  of  two  once  well-regulated 
families,  the  heads  of  which,  unhappily,  had  become 
Club-wen.  This  effusion  caused  great  mirth.  Twenty- 
four  hours  later,  envelopes,  similar  to  the  first,  were 
received  by  the  wives.  They  contained  the  rejoinder 
to  the  poem,  written  in  blank-verse.  Startling  and 
amusing  revelations  were  made  therein  with  regard 
to  the  wives  and  children  of  the  two  friends.  It  was 
without  signature,  but  all  knew  well  who  the  author 
was.  The  issue  of  these  unfounded  accusations 
was  a  visit,  that  evening,  from  the  neighbor  and 


302  John  Bachman. 

his  good  wife.  No  redress  was  obtained  by  the 
plaintiffs ;  but  good-natured  repartee  and  merry 
laughter  promoted  dreamless  slumbers  which  re- 
newed the  energies  of  body  and  mind  for  the 
duties  and  cares  of  the  morrow. 

The  war  between  the  States  gave  the  death-blow 
to  this  genial  Literary  Club.  It  died  in  the  very 
prime  of  its  life  and  usefulness,  bequeathing  as  an 
inheritance  an  impress  of  culture  upon  younger 
lives. 

In    1850,  Dr.   Bachman  published  his   book  on 
"  The  Unity  of  the  Human  Race!' 
In  the  preface,  he  says,: 

The  Literary  Club  of  Charleston,  aware  that  the 
early  studies  of  the  author  of  this  Essay  had  been 
directed  to  Natural  History,  and  that  in  the  pursuit 
of  his  profession  as  a  clergyman,  he  had  felt  himself 
constrained  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  investigate  those 
branches  of  science  that  appear  to  militate  against 
the  truths  of  Christianity,  had  selected  during  his 
absence  from  the  city,  in  September  last,  "The  Unity 
of  the  Human  Race  "  as  a  subject  to  be  discussed  at 
the  meeting,  which  would  next  in  turn  take  place 
at  his  house.  He,  accordingly,  hastily  prepared 
some  notes  which  he  read  before  the  club. 

The  subject  being  full  of  interest,  was  discussed 
at  several  successive  meetings,  two  or  three  of  which 
were  occupied  in  an  examination  of  the  question  on 
purely  scientific  grounds.  The  notes  made  during 
these  hours  of  leisure  which  could  be  stolen  from 
multiplied  avocations  and  cares,  had,  insensibly, 
accumulated  on  his  hands.  At  the  close  of  the  dis- 
cussion, those  members  of  the  club  who  coincided 


Unity  of  the  Human  Race.  303 

with  him  in  sentiment,  requested  their  publication  ; 
and  several  advocates  of  a  plurality  in  the  races,  ex- 
pressed a  desire  that  the  public  should  have  an  op- 
portunity of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  observa- 
tions and  views  of  an  opponent,  from  whom  they 
honestly  differed. 

In  discussing  a  subject,  the  most  difficult  in  the 
range  of  the  sciences,  he  has  often  felt  himself 
obliged  to  differ  from  the  views  of  his  co-laborers, 
members  of  scientific  associations  with  which  he  is 
connected — his  correspondents  and  personal  friends. 
He  need  not  add  that  he  has  been  studious,  that  no 
difference  of  views  should  be  expressed  in  personal 
or  offensive  language.  Men  of  science  will  fully 
understand  this,  and  he  only  refers  to  it  here,  as  an 
explanation  to  the  public,  to  show  them  that  a  dif- 
ference of  opinion,  can  have  no  influence  in  weak- 
ening the  bonds  of  mutual  respect  and  attachment. 

In  his  attempts  to  defend  the  long  established 
doctrine  of  the  Unity  of  the  Human  Race,  he  has 
neither  sought  for  fame,  nor  courted  controversy ; 
to  the  former  he  believes  that  he  is  now  indifferent, 
and  the  latter  is  adverse  to  his  feelings,  his  profes- 
sion, and  the  admonitions  of  declining  life.  If,  in 
this  publication,  he  shall  inadvertently  give  offence, 
he  will  regret  it ;  if  errors  have  escaped  him,  he  is 
ready  to  correct  them  ;  and,  if  he  has  been  enabled 
to  add  any  facts  to  the  stock  of  human  knowledge, 
or  any  argument  in  defence  of  truth,  he  will  feel 
that  his  labors  have  been  amply  rewarded. 

We  quote  from  a  review  of  this  work  in  The  New 
E'tiglander,  Boston,  Mass.,  November,  1850. 

Dr.  Bachman  has  long  been  known  as  one  of  our 
most  enthusiastic  Naturalists.  Various  published 
papers  of  his  own,  and  the  very  frequent  references 


304  John  Bachman . 

which  Audubon  has  made  to  his  name,  attest  both 
the  variety  and  accuracy  of  his  information  in  several 
departments  of  Natural  History.  More  recently  the 
preparation  of  the  beautiful  work  on  "The  Quadru- 
peds of  North  America/'  has  established  his  reputa- 
tion as  an  authority  upon  all  subjects  relating  to  the 
Zoology  of  this  continent. 

Dr.  Bachman's  present  work  shows  throughout 
that  he  has  been  long  engaged  in  careful  and  phil- 
osophical investigation  of  topics  in  various  depart- 
ments of  Natural  History,  which  bear  upon  the 
question  of  the  nature  of  a  species. 
Aiming  to  settle  the  question  of  the  unity  of  man- 
kind upon  purely  scientific  grounds,  Dr.  Bachman 
discusses  it  in  almost  every  aspect ;  and  varied  as 
these  aspects  are,  there  is  scarcely  one  of  them  on 
which  he  does  not  cast  some  new  light.  The  ques- 
tion of  the  possibility  of  hybrid  races  of  animals,  is 
examined  with  great  thoroughness,  and  even  min- 
uteness of  detail;  the  question  of  varieties  among 
the  domesticated  animals,  is  discussed  with  the  most 
complete  command  of  facts  of  the  highest  signifi- 
cance. The  diffusion  of  species  of  animals  and 
plants  is  treated  with  the  same  learned  accuracy  ; 
and  every  one  of  these  discussions  is  enriched  with 
statements  of  facts,  observations,  and  experiments, 
many  of  which  are  new,  original,  and  decisive.  The 
bearing  of  these  facts  is  then  shown  upon  the  ques- 
tions which  relate  to  the  origin  and  dispersion  of 
mankind,  with  a  result  which  is  striking  and  happy 
beyond  all  expectation.  On  the  whole,  the  work  is 
so  complete  that  this  branch  of  the  general  subject, 
hitherto  the  most  neglected,  is  now  placed  in  the 
clearest  light ;  and  Dr.  Bachman's  conclusion  of  the 
derivation  of  all  mankind  from  a  single  pair,  is 
altogether  beyond  the  reach  of  any  objection  upon 
grounds  of  Natural  History.  No  work  upon  the 


Unity  of  the  Human  Race.  305 

same  subject  has  fallen  into  our  hands  which  makes 
any  approach  to  this,  in  the  departments  of  which 
it  principally  treats,  in  thoroughness  of  investiga- 
tion, and  in  the  decisive  and  triumphant  establish- 
ment of  its  conclusions.  *  *  * 

Dr.  Summers,  then  Editor  of  "  The  Christian  Ex- 
aminer" Nashville,  Tenn.  (in  his  "  Personal  Recol- 
lection "),  writes : 

"  I  had  the  honor  of  editing  the  Doctor's  book, 
'  The  Unity  of  the  Human  Race."  *  *  *  It  elicited 
warm  commendations  from  learned  and  scientific 
men  on  both  sides  of  the  water ;  among  them  the  cele- 
brated Humboldt,  whose  letter  to  the  Doctor  was 
very  complimentary.  I  hope  that  it  has  been  pre- 
served among  his  papers." 

In  1854  and  1855,  Dr.  Bachman  wrote  and  pub- 
lished two  pamphlets,  entitled 

An  Examination  of  the  Characteristics  of  Genera 
and  Species  as  applicable  to  the  Doctrine  of  the  Unity 
of  the  Human  Race ;  and, 

An  Examination  of  Professor  Agassiz's  Sketch  of 
the  Natural  Provinces  of  the  Animal  World  and  their 
Relation  to  the  different  Types  of  Man,  with  a  Tableau 
accompanying  the  Sketch. 

These  pamphlets  were  called  forth  by  a  publica- 
tion entitled  "  Types  of  Mankind,  or  Ethnological 
Research  based  upon  Ancient  Monuments,  etc.,"  by 
J.  C.  Gliddon  and  Nott.  This  work  consisted  of  pas- 
sages from  Dr.  Morton's  inedited  MSS. ;  Agassiz  and 
Dr.  Peterson  also  contributed ;  but  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  work  was  the  direct  authorship  of  Messrs. 
Nott  and  Gliddon. 


CHAPTER  XX. 
SCIENTIFIC  LABORS. 

AN  EXAMINATION  OF  THE  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  GENERA  AND 
SPECIES — AN  EXAMINATION  OF  PROF.  AGASSIZ'  "NATURAL 
PROVINCES."  — HUMBOLDT'S  LETTER  DESTROYED  —  LETTER 
FROM  HENRY  R.  8CHOOLCRAFT,  INDIAN  COMMISSIONER. 

THE  opening  sentences  of  the  following  Mono- 
graph indicate  the  progress  made  in  the  study 
of  Natural  Histor}r  during  forty  years — from  1795 
to  1855.  Referring  to  his  boyhood,  Dr.  Bachman 
tells  us  of  the  prejudices  then  entertained  by  the  com- 
munity against  the  supposed  trifling  study  of  Natural 
History ;  but  in  1855  he  asserts :  The  advantages 
to  be  derived  from  the  study  of  Natural  History  are 
now  admitted  by  every  intelligent  mind. 

From  boyhood  an  enthusiast  in  Natural  History 
and  kindred  branches  of  science,  we  find  him  always 
in  full  sympathy  with  every  patient  student  of  Na- 
ture, and  holding  out  the  hand  of  friendship  to  the 
humblest  seeker  after  truth.  But  at  the  same  time 
ready,  with  ungloved  hand,  to  rebuke  the  temerity 
of  the  tyro,  who  paraded  his  little  learning. 

An  examination  of  the  Characteristics  of  Genera  and 
Species,  as  applicable  to  the  Doctrine  of  the  Unity  of 
the  Human  Race. 

So  many  advantages  are  derived  from  the  study 
of  Natural  History,  that  at  the  present  day  it 
would  be  almost  superfluous  to  do  more  than  briefly 


The  Study  of  Nature.  307 

allude  to  a  fact,  that  now  seems  to  be  admitted  by 
every  intelligent  mind.  The  supply  of  all  the 
temporal  wants  of  man,  his  food,  his  dress,  the  con- 
veniences he  enjoys,  remind  him  of  a  number  of 
animals  and  plants,  on  which  he  is  dependent  for 
his  comforts.  There  are  others  that  are  injurious 
to  his  welfare,  and  he  is  compelled  to  exercise  his 
mind  in  warding  off  the  danger  which  is  to  be  ap- 
prehended from  their  pernicious  influences.  But, 
apart  from  the  almost  necessity  thus  imposed  on 
him  in  studying  the  objects  of  nature,  he  finds  in 
this  employment  the  means  of  enlarging  his  mind, 
of  disciplining  his  memory,  and  of  exalting  his  con- 
ceptions of  creative  power.  The  study  of  nature  is 
the  study  of  truth,  and  he  who  reads  these  truths 
aright  is  rendered  wiser,  better  and  happier.  He 
deems  no  object  unworthy  of  his  attention  that  is 
calculated  to  enlarge  the  field  of  knowledge,  or  that 
enables  him  to  penetrate  into  the  mighty  plans  of 
the  Creator. 

There  is  another  important  subject  connected  with 
these  investigations.  The  most  enlightened,  the 
purest  and  the  best  of  mankind,  regard  the  Scrip- 
tures as  the  revelation  of  God's  will  to  mankind. 
The  book  of  Nature  has  been  given  by  the  same 
Omniscient  Power.  His  word  and  works  cannot 
contradict  each  other.  The  former,  it  is  true,  was 
principally  intended  to  convey  religious  truth,  and 
impress  on  the  human  heart  the  doctrines  of  salva- 
tion, but  it  should  be  recollected  that  although  the 
Bible  was  not  given  for  the  purpose  of  teaching 
the  sciences,  it  cannot,  consistently  with  inspiration, 
stand  in  opposition  to  that  other  record  of  the 
wisdom  of  the  Deity  that  is  given  in  His  works. 
Hence  the  necessity  of  availing  ourselves  of  all  those 
facilities  which  will  enable  us  to  interpret  the  laws 
of  nature  aright.  It  is  the  boast  of  infidelity  that, 


308  John  Bachman. 

11  viewed  as  a  narrative,  inspired  by  the  Most  High, 
its  conceits  would  be  pitiful  and  its  revelations  false, 
because  telescopic  Astronomy  has  ruined  its  celestial 
structure ;  Physics  has  negatived  its  cosmic  organ- 
ism, and  Geology  has  stultified  the  fabulous  terres- 
trial mechanism  upon  which  its  assumptions  are 
based.  How  then  are  its  crude  and  puerile  hypo- 
theses about  human  creation  to  be  received  ?"*  Were 
this  true,  then  according  to  the  same  author,  "  The 
developments  of  science  would  have  rendered  any 
new  translations  (of  the  Scriptures)  altogether  superer- 
ogatory among  the  educated  who  are  creating  new 
religions  for  themselves." 

The  question  then  naturally  arises,  how  are  these 
bold  assertions  to  be  met,  and  to  what  sources  must 
the  human  mind  apply  in  order  to  arrive  at  truth, 
and  thus  solve  its  doubts  and  strengthen  its  re- 
ligious faith  with  confidence  and  hope  ?  Certainly 
there  is  no  other  mode  accessible  to  man  than  by 
studying  the  book  of  Nature  with  an  unprejudiced 
mind,  and  with  all  that  preparatory  knowledge, 
that  careful  analysis,  that  patient  research  and  un- 
clouded judgment,  which  is  essential  in  the  investi- 
gation of  so  grave  a  subject.  By  pursuing  this  plan 
of  study,  we  will  be  enabled  to  solve  the  mystery 
why  men,  writing  on  the  same  subject,  have  ad- 
vanced such  opposite  opinions  and  pronounced  such 
contradictory  decisions.  The  authors  of  the  "  Types 
of  Mankind  "  have,  with  a  positiveness  which  is 
seldom  found  among  the  humble  students  of  nature, 
pronounced  one  set  of  opinions,  whilst  the  greatest 
naturalists  in  the  world,  Linnaeus,  Blumenbach, 
Cuvier,  the  two  Humboldts,  Owen,  Pritchard,  Bun- 
sen,  Lepsius,  and  many  others,  have  arrived  at  con- 
clusions directly  the  reverse.  In  searching  more 

*Nott  and  Gliddon's  Types  of  Mankind,  p.  165. 


The  Censor  of  Presumption.  309 

closely  into  the  qualifications  of  the  men  who  have 
pronounced  these  opposite  opinions,  we  are  not  left 
in  doubt  as  to  the  causes  why  they  could  not  arrive 
at  the  same  conclusions  in  professing  to  unfold  the 
leaves  of  the  same  book  of  nature. 

Mr.  Gliddon  candidly  informs  his  readers  of  the 
amount  of  knowledge  in  the  sciences,  which  enabled 
him  to  pronounce  so  positive  and  startling  a  de- 
cision, that  the  sciences  had  so  utterly  demolished 
the  "  fabulous  terrestrial  mechanism  "  of  revelation, 
that  a  "  new  translation  was  supererogatory."  He 
tells  his  readers — "  My  former  pursuits  in  Moslem 
lands  were  remote  from  natural  science,  and  dis- 
qualify me  from  sharing  the  labors  of  its  votaries," 
etc.  Thus  then  we  have  the  admission  from  his 
own  pen  and  in  print,  that  he  is  unqualified,  from  a 
want  of  knowledge  on  the  subject,  to  express  an 
opinion  in  matters  of  science,  and  yet  the  very 
sciences  about  which  he  professes  to  know  nothing, 
have  (in  his  opinion)  utterly  demolished  the  whole 
structure  on  which  Christianity  is  founded.  On  the 
other  hand  Professor  Owen,  who  has  for  a  whole 
life  studied  the  sciences,  of  which  Gliddon  had  not 
yet  read  the  alphabet,  expresses  his  matured  convic- 
tions in  these  words  : — "  Thus  in  reference  both  to 
the  unity  of  the  human  species,  and  to  the  fact  of 
man  being  the  latest,  as  he  is  the  highest  of  all 
animal  forms  upon  our  planet,  the  interpretations  of 
God's  works  coincide  with  what  has  been  revealed 
to  us,  as  to  our  origin  and  zoological  relations  in  the 
world.  Man  is  the  sole  species  of  his  genus,  the  sole 
representative  of  his  order."  In  investigating  those 
preparatory  studies,  by  which  these  gentlemen  con- 
sidered themselves  qualified  to  pronounce  such 
opposite  opinions,  we  are  forcibly  reminded  of  the 
caution  of  the  poet : 


310  John  Bachman. 

"  A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing, 
Drink  deep,  or  taste  not  of  the  Pierian  spring  ; 
These  shallow  draughts  intoxicate  the  brain, 
But  drinking  deeply  sobers  it  again." 

The  sciences  in  order  to  be  understood  must  be 
studied.  As  there  is  order  in  all  the  works  of 
Nature,  naturalists  have  for  ages  past  been  engaged 
in  interpreting  her  laws,  and  bringing  her  various 
productions  under  a  systematic  arrangement.  By 
this  means  the  study  is  simplified.  By  the  co-ope- 
ration of  numbers,  each  working  in  his  favourite  de- 
partment, a  mass  of  intellectual  riches  is  acquired, 
which  is  transmitted  to  their  immediate  successors, 
and  through  them  to  posterity. 

We  should  regard  it  as  a  work  of  supererogation 
to  occupy  any  space  herein  to  prove  that  however 
numerous  may  be  the  varieties — or  races — or  species 
in  the  human  family,  they  must  all,  by  the  rules  of 
science,  be  included  under  one  genus. 

He  points  to  Nature : 

A  correct  understanding  of  the  laws  of  Nature 
in  the  creation  of  species  would,  we  apprehend,  en- 
able us  to  interpret  her  works  with  much  greater 
certainty  by  an  examination  of  the  species  and 
varieties  she  has  produced,  than  by  resorting  to  the 
monumental  records  of  Egypt,  Assyria,  or  of  Central 
America.  *  *  * 

These  records  he  shows  to  have  no  legitimate 
bearing  on  the  subject  of  the  Unity  of  the  Human  Races. 

We  possess  a  much  better  guide  in  the  designa- 
tion of  species,  than  that  which  could  be  given  us 
by  the  rude  stone  chisel,  or  the  painted  daubs  of  the 
ancient  lords  of  our  forests.  We  possess  the  species 
themselves,  with  the  characters  impressed  on  them 


Unity  of  the  Human  Race.  311 

by  the  hand  of  the  Creator,  and  from  these  we  are 
enabled  to  decide  on  their  identity,  and  from  this 
identity  we  infer  their  primordial  origin.  All  the 
fishes,  and  every  species  named  by  Agassiz,  were  de- 
scribed from  the  characters  they  presented  in 
Nature,  without  resorting  to  the  unprofitable  and 
impracticable  search  after  their  primordial  existence. 
WP  may,  however,  here  observe  that  the  figures 
of  dogs  and  of  men  (the  latter  only  are  of  any 
scientific  value)  on  the  Eastern  monuments,  have 
been  carefully  studied  and  delineated  by  master 
minds — men,  at  whose  feet  Mr.  Gliddon  has  sat  as 
an  humble  copyist.  They  are  now  giving  to  the 
world  the  result  of  their  scientific  researches.  Both 
Lepsius  and  Bunsen  have  already  proclaimed  their 
belief  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Unity  of  the  Human 
Race,  and  the  former  is  now  engaged  in  a  work,  in 
which  he  will  offer  reasons  for  the  faith  that  is  in 
him.  Thus  these  monumental  records,  which 
caused  Gliddon  to  pronounce,  in  the  language  of 
scorn  and  obloquy,  a  tirade  against  the  Scriptures, 
convinced  the  minds  of  Lepsius  and  Bunsen  of  their 
truth,  and  filled  them  with  humility,  reverence  and 
awe.  Their  scientific  researches  satisfied  them  of 
the  truth  of  doctrines  proclaimed  by  Moses,  and 
confirmed  by  .Paul :  "  And  God  hath  made  of  one 
blood  all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  and  hath  determined  the  time  before  appointed, 
and  the  bounds  of  their  habitation."  Acts  17  :  ^26. 

After  closely  comparing  the  different  Races  of 
Men,  he  says : 

So  strikingly  similar  are  the  characteristics  in 
all  these  varieties,  that  Professor  Agassiz  himself  has 
been  compelled  to  admit  that  "  Man  is  everywhere 
the  one  identical  species."  Although,  in  his  last  pub- 


312  John  Bachman. 

lished  opinions,  he  assumes,  without  giving  any  sat- 
isfactory reasons,  that  there  might  originally  have 
heen  eight  created  nations,  yet  he  is  very  cautious  in 
not  calling  them  species — and,  in  great  doubt  and 
uncertainty,  adds : — "  I  still  hesitate  to  assign  to 
each  (race)  an  independent  origin."  We  are  en- 
couraged to  hope,  therefore,  that  he  who  has  always 
appeared  to  us  as  a  searcher  after  truth,  and  who  is 
courteous  in  his  language,  and  scientific  in  his  pur- 
suits, is  not  so  hopelessly  committed  to  an  erroneous 
theory,  as  not  to  be  induced  to  review  the  whole 
subject  again.  In  the  lower  departments  of  Zoology, 
he  ranks  at  the  head  of  the  naturalists  of  our 
country,  and  we  are  not  without  a  hope,  that  after 
having  carefully  studied  those  higher  forms  of 
animal  life,  which  prepare  us  to  form  an  unbiassed 
judgment  in  regard  to  man  and  his  varieties,  he  may 
return  to  his  original  views. 

If  we  look  for  those  characteristics  that  are  essen- 
tial to  a  species,  they  are  found  in  every  tribe  of  men 
in  the  whole  earth.  If  we  compare  man  with  every 
variety  in  the  species  of  domesticated  animals,  his 
variations  present  the  same  phenomena  ;  if  we  ascend 
higher  and  examine  his  instincts,  the  power  of  his 
mind,  and  his  longings  after  immortality,  we  can- 
not but  perceive  that  these  gleams  of  intelligence 
and  of  hope  exist,  however  partially  developed,  even 
among  the  most  degraded  and  barbarous  nations. 

An  Examination  of  Professor  Agassiz — Natural  Provin- 
ces of  the  Animal  World  in  their  Relation  to  the 
Different  Types  of  Man,  with  a  Tableau  Accom- 
panying the  Sketch. 

In  the  work  called  "  Types  of  Mankind,"  by  Nott 
&  Gliddon,  the  public  is  presented  with  a  paper  by 


Review  of  Agassiz.  313 

Prof.  Agassiz,  on  the  Natural  Provinces.*  As  every 
thing  that  has  emanated  from  the  mind  of  a  natu- 
ralist so  eminent  as  Agassiz  is  admitted  to  be,  his 
views  must  always  merit  a  respectful  consideration, 
by  all  who  are  investigating  the  truths  of  nature. 
Our  purpose  in  the  present  article  is  to  subject  this 
"Sketch  of  the  Natural  Provinces,"  with  the  "  Tab- 
leau annexed,"  to  a  close  and  impartial  investigation. 
His  object,  as  he  informs  us,  was  "  to  call  the  atten- 
tion of  naturalists  to  the  close  connection  there  is  between 
the  geographical  distribution  of  animals  and  the  natural 
boundaries  of  the  different  races  of  man  " 

Prof.  Agassiz  admits,  "  that  notwithstanding  the 
diversity  of  his  races,  man  constitutes  one  only,  and 
the  same  species  over  all  the  globe."  He,  however, 
supposes  that  this  same  species  of  man  was  created 
"  broadcast "  in  groups  all  over  the  world.  This 
would,  we  conceive,  be  requiring  unnecessary  mir- 
acles from  the  Creator. 

He  divides  the  world  into  eight  natural  realms  or 
provinces.  To  each  zoological  realm  he  has  given 
figures  of  the  head  and  skull,  of  the  variety  of  man 
as  existing  in  that  province,  together  with  seven  or 
eight  animals  found  in  the  same  province.  This  is 
intended  "to  show  that  the  boundaries,  within  which 
the  different  natural  combination  of  animals  are 
known  to  be  circumscribed  upon  the  surface  of  our 
earth,  coincide  with  the  natural  range  of  distinct 
types  of  men." 

The  great  difficulty  in  the  above  theory  seems  to 
be— 

1st.  The  impossibility  of  deciding  on  what  are 
"  the  natural  provinces  of  the  animal  world." 

2d.  Whether  the  boundaries  in  the  animal  world 
are  the  same  as  those  he  has  assigned  to  his  types  of 

men  existing  in  those  boundaries. 

*Nott  &  Gliddon's  Types;  p.  23-31. 


314  John  Bachman. 

3d.  In  what  respect  either  in  form,  habits,  or  any 
other  characteristics,  there  is  the  slightest  resem- 
blance in  man  to  the  animal  kingdom  in  the  same 
zoological  province. 

When  we,  in  184G,  were  from  a  kind  of  necessity 
induced  to  publish  our  views  in  one  department  of 
science,  we  were  somewhat  at  a  loss  to  decide  on  the 
exact  boundaries  to  which  our  labours  should  be 
restricted.  The  following  were  the  views  which  we 
finally  adopted  as  most  convenient,  and  in  accord- 
ance with  nature. 

"  We  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion,  that  in  un- 
dertaking the  natural  history  of  a  country,  our 
researches  should  not  be  confined  to  the  artificial 
boundaries  of  States — which  may  be  frequently 
changed  ;  but  by  those  divisions,  the  limits  of  which 
are  fixed  by  nature,  and  where  new  forms  mark  the 
effects  of  a  low  latitude  and  warm  climate."  *  * 

We  have  not  seen  any  reason  to  change  the  views 
then  expressed.  There  are  natural  boundaries,  as 
we  have  before  stated,  and  they  will  afford  us  some 
aid  in  our  knowledge  of  the  distribution  of  species, 
but  as  each  species  has  its  peculiar  range,  no  boun- 
daries will  be*  found  to  apply  to  all  species  even  of 
the  same  genus.  *  *  * 

The  labors  of  naturalists  during  the  last  hundred 
years,  in  investigating  the  geographical  distributions 
of  animals  and  plants,  were  not  only  harmless  specu- 
lations, but  added  considerably  to  our  previous 
knowledge  of  the  laws  of  nature.  But  when  nature, 
is  distorted  for  the  purpose  of  advancing  a  theory— 
when  selections  are  made,  and  figures  given  of  par- 
ticular species  of  animals  in  an  imaginary  province, 
to  the  omission  of  others,  that  are  more  character- 
istic, and  would  materially  change  the  whole  aspect 
of  the  question ;  and  when  under  the  color  of  these 
erroneous  views,  the  opportunity  is  eagerly  seized 


A  Review.  815 

on  by  others,  in  the  same  volume,  to  heap  on  the 
Holy  Scriptures  and  its  ministers  all  manner  of  deri- 
sion and  contempt,  it  becomes  the  duty  of  the  natu- 
ralist, as  well  as  of  the  Christian,  to  place  the  subject 
in  its  true  light.  This,  as  far  as  it  relates  to  science, 
we  are  endeavoring  to  do  in  this  article.  We  char- 
itably hope  that  Prof.  A.  was  not  aware  of  the  con- 
tents of  the  volume  to  which  his  paper  was  intended 
to  give  circulation  and  celebrity.  That  book  was 
ushered  into  the  world  under  false  colors.  The 
names  of  eminent  scientific  men  were  paraded  before 
the  public  as  pledges  that  a  reliable  scientific  work 
would  be  given,  and  as  an  inducement  to  men  to 
patronize  it.  When  this  long  promised  work  finally 
made  its  appearance,  it  was  found  that  these  meager 
contributions  of  naturalists  from  stores  with  which 
the  public  were  already  in  possession,  had  been 
seized  on  by  Mr.  Gliddon,  to  afford  him  an  opportu- 
nity of  attacking  the  veracity  of  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
in  attempts  to  unsettle  the  human  mind,  and  de- 
prive it  of  all  that  is  calculated  to  preserve  public 
morals  andprivate  virtue,  of  all  that  enlightens  con- 
science, and  cheers  us  with  the  hope  of  immortality. 
#  *  *  * 

We  have  entered  reluctantly  into  this  long  and 
minute  examination  of  Professor  Agassiz's  "  Sketch 
of  the  Natural  Provinces  of  the  Animal  World,  and 
their  relation  to  the  different  Types  of  Man,"  together 
with  "  the  Tableau  accompanying  the  Sketch/' 
The  believers  in  the  plurality  of  races  have  heralded 
this  and  a  former  article,  by  the  same  writer,  pub- 
lished in  the  Christian  Examiner,  both  maintaining 
the  same  views,  as  new  and  unanswerable  evidences 
of  the  truth  of  their  doctrine.  We  will  give  a  speci- 
men :  "  Let  us  acknowledge  our  large  indebtedness 
to  Prof.  Agassiz,  who  has  given  the  most  masterly 
view  of  the  geographical  distribution  of  animals 


316  John  Bachman. 

written  in  our  language,  or  perhaps  in  any  other. 
Not  a  line  can  be  retrenched  from  his  already  con- 
densed articles  without  inflicting  a  wound,  and  we 
take  much  pleasure  in  referring  the  reader  to  them."* 
We  would  not  intentionally  "  inflict  a  wound  " 
either  on  science  or  on  Prof.  Agassiz,  since  we  are 
anxious  for  the  promotion  of  the  truths  of  the 
former,  and  entertain  a  personal  regard  toward  the 
latter  on  account  of  his  worth  as  a  gentleman,  and 
his  indefatigable  labors  as  a  naturalist.  Whatever 
scientific  errors  we  may  have  committed  in  this 
review,  we  are  prepared,  if  they  are  pointed  out  to 
us  by  a  competent  naturalist,  thankfully  to  correct, 
and  if  a  word  has  fallen  from  our  pen  that  can  be 
construed  as  personally  offensive  to  him,  we  will, 
with  regret  for  the  error,  cheerfully  erase  it.  Our 
sole  object  has  been  to  present  the  truths  of  nature 
in  the  light  in  which  we  conscientiously  regard 
them,  and,  as  far  as  we  are  able,  to  avert  those  inju- 
rious effects  on  the  faith  and  hope  of  man,  that  may 
be  produced  by  errors  in  science. 

A  letter  from  Humboldt,  with  other  valuable 
papers  of  this  date,  has,  unhappily,  been  destroyed. 

The  following  letter  is  from  the  distinguished 
United  States  Indian  Commissioner,  Henry  R. 
Schoolcraft,  who  conducted  the  expedition  when  the 
long-sought-for  source  of  the  great  Mississippi  was 
discovered. 

WASHINGTON,  Sept.  23d,  1854. 

My  dear  Sir — I  have  received  and  perused  your 
notice  of  the"  Types  of  Mankind;"  and  though  writ- 
ing to  me  has  become  laborious,  (for  I  am  obliged 
to  guide  my  right  hand  with  my  left,)  I  cannot  re- 

*  Nott  and  Gliddon's  Types  of  Mankind,  p.  72. 


Letter  from  Schooler  aft.  317 

frain  from  expressing  to  you  my  thanks  for  this 
service  to  the  cause  of  truth. 

The  Types  are,  indeed,  the  fruits  of  the  mountain 
that  was  in  labor.  From  one  end  of  the  land  to  the 
other,  subscribers  have  been  drummed  up  for  this 
work ;  and  when  it  come  forth  it  is  a  patch-work  of 
infidel  papers  from  the  living  and  the  dead,  by 
which  we  are  informed  that  the  Hebrew  Chronology 
is  false,  that  Moses  was  a  demogogue  and  an  im- 
poster,  and  that  Christianity  is  a  deception. 

Well,  if  this  be  all  that  America  is  to  send  back 
to  Europe,  after  boasting  of  her  rich  stores  of  learn- 
ing, science,  philosophy  and  religion  for  three  Cen- 
turies ;  it  were  better  that  the  Aborigines  had  main- 
tained their  dark  empire  of  pow-wows  and  jugglers, 
undisturbed. 

The  Indian,  had  at  least,  the  merit  of  directness 
in  his  theological  dogmas,  and  worshipped  the  devil 
without  disguise,  whereas,  such  men  club  their  wits 
in  this  attack  on  Christianity,  and  conceal  their  real 
aim  under  the  guise  of  a  philosophical  inquiry. 
Very  sincerelv  your  friend, 

H.  R.  S. 


14 


CHAPTER  XXL 
DEFENSE  OF  LUTHER. 

PERSONAL  HECOLLECTIONS,  BY  DR.  SUMMERS  —  DEFENSE  OF 
LUTHER  AND  THE  REFORMATION — LINES  ON  A  FLYLEAF,  BY 
DR.  JOHNT  L.  GIRARDEAU — NATURAL  HISTORY  FOR  CHILDREN — 
HOBBIES— SNUFF. 


D 


R.  SUMMERS  in    his    "Personal    Recollections:' 
writes : 


"  I  never  knew  a  man,  who  had  more  regard  for 
"our  poor  relations"  than  Dr.  Bachman.  It  was 
not  confined  to  the  noble  horse  and  sagacious  dog  ; 
but  it  seemed  to  embrace  every  thing  that  had  the 
breath  of  life. 

"  The  Doctor  was  so  seated  in  the  hearts  of  his 
parishioners,  that  they  almost  worshipped  him.  In- 
deed, he  was  reverenced  by  nearly  the  whole  com- 
munity. He  was  not  much  loved  by  the  infidels, 
whose  ''  science  falsely  so  called,"  he  so  utterly  de- 
molished. Some  of  our  Roman  Catholic  brethren 
disliked  him  and  not  without  cause.  He  defended 
the  character  of  Luther  from  their  defamations ;  ex- 
posed the  licentious  doctrines  contained  in  Den's 
Theology,  one  of  their  text  books,  which  they 
affected  to  deny,  and  carried  the  war  into  Africa, 
by  showing  the  demoralizing  influence  of  the  Con- 
fessional. *  *  *  *  In  his  controversy  with  the 
papists,  the  Doctor  was  goaded  to  unusual  severity." 

While  some  of  his  Roman  Catholic  brethren, 
may  have  disliked  him  heartily,  yet  others  appre- 


Defense  of  Luther. 

ciated  the  fact,  that  in  the  public  defense  of  Luther 
he  acted  not  from  personal  feelings,  but  from  prin- 
ciple and  a  sense  of  duty. 

We  recall  a  hospitable  home,  under  the  shadow  of 
St.  John's  Church.  The  aged  host,  Mr.  P.,  though 
a  Roman  Catholic,  delighted  to  entertain  and  to 
refresh  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's. 

On  the  occasion  of  a  serious  railroad  accident, 
near  Branch ville,  S.  C.,  Dr.  Bachman  was  at  hand 
and  gave  efficient  aid  to  the  sorely  bruised  and 
wounded.  With  words  of  sympathy  and  encourage- 
ment, he  endeavored  to  sustain  their  fainting  cour- 
age, until  the  means  of  transportation  could  be 
obtained.  Among  the  sufferers  was  a  Mr.  R.,  a 
Romanist,  who,  from  that  hour,  frequently  expressed 
in  grateful  terms  his  admiration  for  a  man  whose 
charity  was  not  confined  to  those  of  his  own  creed 
and  confession. 

In  1853,  Dr.  Bachman  published  "A  Defense  of 
Luther  and  the  Reformation" 

He  writes  in  his  preface  to  the  same : 

At  the  commencement  of  the  controversy,  I  had 
no  idea  of  writing  more  than  four  or  five  articles  in 
defense  of  Luther.  Having,  however,  been  con- 
tinually goaded  on  by  the  attacks  and  denunciations 
of  the  Catholic  Miscellany,  I  concluded  that  my  in- 
domitable opponents  could  be  best  met  by  carrying 
war  into  their  own  camp.  I  had  hitherto  been  dis- 
posed to  leave  the  cause  of  Protestantism  to  the 
defense  of  those  better  skilled  in  controversial  theol- 
ogy :  the  attack,  however,  on  Luther,  in  my  own 
city,  under  circumstances  most  aggravated  and 


320  John  Bachman. 

insulting,  left  me  no  alternative  between  a  pusillani- 
mous silence,  which  would  have  been  construed  into 
an  admission  of  the  truth  of  the  charges,  or  an  open, 
fearless  defense. 

An  ex -monk  of  LaTrappe,  Rev.  Leahey,  who  was 
in  connection  with  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church, 
advertised  to  give  a  lecture  on  "  Popish  Confession 
and  Priestcraft."  Ladies  and  youths  were  prohibited 
from  attending  the  lecture.  The  announcement 
created  great  excitement  among  the  Romanists  of 
Charleston.  One  of  the  proprietors  of  the  American 
Hotel  (where  Rev.  L.  boarded)  applied  to  the  City 
Council  to  know  if  the  Corporation  would  be  respon- 
sible for  damages  to  his  property  if  the  lecture  was 
given  in  his  hotel  and  a  riot  ensued.  Rev.  L.  was 
also  present,  showed  his  credentials,  and  asked  per- 
mission to  give  the  lecture.  The  City  Fathers  were 
divided  in  opinion,  and  a  discussion  ensued.  One 
of  the  Aldermen,  disclaiming  any  knowledge  of 
the  Reverend  gentleman  present,  or  of  his  lec- 
tures, remarked :  "  The  Rev.  Bishop  John  England, 
arrived  in  this  city  thirty-three  years  ago,  and  de- 
livered, weekly,  a  course  of  lectures  to  prove  the 
Scriptures  to  be  a  divine  revelation  from  God.  His 
remarks  against  the  Protestant  churches  in  this  city 
were  very  severe  ;  but  he  was  ably  answered  by  the 
Rev.  John  Bachraan,  D.  D.  At  that  time  there  was 
no  riot  or  disturbance  of  the  public  peace,  and  why 
should  there  be  one  now  ?" 

An  Alderman,  a  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  and  an  eminent  physician,  replied,  that 


The  Defense  of  Luther.  321 

-"  In  those  lectures  Bishop  E.  had  not  treated  of 
topics  not  mentionable  to  the  chaste  ears  of  females 
or  youths,  or  charged  upon  the  present  generation 
of  Protestants  the  immoral  practices  licensed  by 
their  '  Chief  Reformer,'  the  sanction  for  which  is  ex- 
tant in  his  own  writings." 

Some  of  the  Aldermen  were  in  favor  of  the  right 
of  free  discussion  by  lecture  or  sermon,  let  the  conse- 
quences be  what  they  might;  and  some  expressed  a 
Willingness  to  concur  in  prohibiting  the  lecture, 
"  could  it  be  made  to  appear  that  the  Council  pos- 
sessed the  constitutional  authority  to  do  so."  Legal 
opinion  was  taken,  and  the  City  Council  decided 
that  they  had  no  authority  to  prohibit  the  lecture: 
but  that  the  Corporation  would  not  be  responsible 
for  damages  in  case  a  riot  ensued.  The  lecture  was 
not  given. 

A  communication  was  published  in  "  The  Charles- 
ton Courier"  by  the  Roman  Catholic  Alderman, 
reporting  the  discussion  touching  Leahey's  lec- 
tures; which  was  copied  in  the  "  Catholic  Miscellany" 
Rev.  B.  Gildersleeve  (  publisher  of  "  The  Charles- 
ton Observer"  in  connection  with  "  The  Watchman  of 
the  South,"  at  Richmond,  Virginia,)  thereupon  took 
up  the  gauntlet,  and  replied  in  two  letters. 

Dr.  Bach  man  gives  his  reasons  for  entering  into 
the  controversy : 

"  The  multiplied  calls  on  niy  time,  and  my  period 
of  life,  would  lead  me  infinitely  to  prefer  the  rest 
and  quietude  of  my  own  thoughts,  agreeable  studies, 
and  ministerial  labors  and  associations,  to  the  ex- 


322  John  Bachman. 

<3itement,  and  often  embittered  feelings,  which  are 
engendered  by  a  religious  controversy.  When,  how- 
ever, great  principles  are  to  be  defended,  and  the 
reputations  of  the  benefactors  of  mankind  are  to 
he  rescued  from  defamation,  it  then  becomes  our 
duty  to  lay  aside,  for  a  time,  our  more  agreeable 
occupations  and  to  battle  manfully  in  the  cause 
of  truth,  of  justice,  and  the  pure  principles  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

As  a  native  American  citizen,  and  an  inhabitant 
of  Charleston  for  nearly  forty  years,  I  have  felt 
deeply  grieved  that  an  attempt  has  been  made, 
resulting  in  partial  success,  by  a  Roman  Catholic 
Alderman,  to  deprive  one  who  professes  to  be  a 
Protestant  clergyman,  of  the  privilege  of  free  discus- 
sion in  matters  of  religion ;  and  he,  as  a  member  of 
the  City  Council,  voting  against  his  being  protected 

from  a  Roman  Catholic  mob. 

%  *  *  *•  *  #  * 

Men's  characters  are  formed  from  the  school  in 
which  they  are  educated.  The  principles  we  have 
imbibed,  influence  our  character  and  conduct. 

The  Roman  Catholic  is  taught  to  render  implicit 
obedience  to  the  Church.     That  Church  he  believes . 
infallible.  * 

The  Protestant  founds  his  religion  on  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Scriptures.  *  If  the 
Reformers  were  not  perfect  in  their  lives,  this  does 
not  affect  his  religion — that  is  derived  from  the 
Scriptures,  not  from  the  opinions  of  men.  He  be- 
lieves the  true  Catholic,  or  universal  Church,  is  com- 
posed of  the  pious  and  good  of  every  tongue  and 
nation,  and  every  form  of  religion,  and  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  Head  of  the  Church. 

The  time  now  had  come  to  test  the  efficacy  of 
these  different  teachings,  in  the  same  city,  (Charles- 
ton), and  within  a  few  days  of  each  other. 


The  Defense  of  Luther.  323 

Leahey  was  about  to  give  a  lecture,  as  he,  at  the 
time,  informed  some  of  the  clergy,  on  the  impure 
tendency  of  Den's  Theology  and  other  Roman 
Catholic  hooks  which  are  used  in  their  seminaries. 
He  requested  that  women  and  children  should  not 
come  to  the  lecture,  as  he  was  ahout  to  make  "  awful 
disclosures."  From  the  nature  of  Den's  Theology, 
which  directs  the  priest  how  to  ferret  out  the  secret 
thoughts  of  woman's  heart,  I  should  be  sorry  to  hear 
it  detailed — even  to  the  ears  of  men.  At  the  first 
publication,  however,  of  his  intentions,  a  mob 
gathers  around  his  lecture-room,  arid  neither  the 
laws  of  the  city,  nor  the  power  of  their  Bishop,  nor 
notices  read  from  their  pulpit,  could  restrain  the 
Romanists  from  threatening  violence  and  blood. 
The  man  was  compelled  to  flee. 

About  the  same  period  a  Roman  Catholic  Alder- 
man did  not  threaten  only,  but  actually^made  and 
published  "  awful  disclosures,"  professing  to  convict 
"  the  Chief  Reformer  of  the  Protestant  faith  with  im- 
moral teaching,  and  plainly  sanctioning  concubi- 
nage, polygamy  and  adultery."  And  what  was 
the  effect  on  the  Protestant  part  of  the  community, 
especially  on  that  branch  of  it  which  professes  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  faith  ?  *  *  *  They  are 
composed  of  men  of  all  ranks — high  and  low,  edu- 
cated and  ignorant,  rich  and  poor,  from  the  Chancel- 
lor on  the  bench  to  the  laborer  on  the  railroad. 
They  revere  the  memory  of  the  "  Chief  Reformer." 
What  was  now  their  conduct?  Did  a  mob  threaten 
to  pull  down  the  house  of  the  offending  Alderman 
over  his  head  ?  Was  it  necessary  to  call  on  the  City 
Council  for  protection  ?  Did  their  ministers  find  it 
necessary  to  issue  a  bulletin  to  their  people,  implor- 
ing them  to  keep  the  peace?  No!  their  answer 
was,  "  We  will  tolerate  error  as  long  as  we  have  truth 
to  combat  it  with." 


324  John  Bachman. 

During  the  controversy  occasional  letters  signed 
"  Many  Protestants/'  appeared  in  the  Charleston 
News,  showing  the  deep  interest  felt  by  the  Pro- 
testant part  of  the  Community  in  the  defence  of 
Luther.  On  the  Romanist  side,  Dr.  Lynch,  (after- 
wards Bishop)  and  others  appeared. 

The  Watchman  of  the  South,  and  leading  Protestant 
Journals,  united  with  the  Charleston  community  in 
the  request,  that  the  defense  of  Luther  should  be 
preserved  in  a  permanent  form. 

The  following  lines  are  found  on  the  fly  leaf  of  a 
copy  of  Dr.  Bachman 's  Defense  of  Luther,  in  the 
hand-writing  of  his  friend,  John  L.  Girardeau,  D.  !).: 

"  When  the  great  German  Reformer  and  the  Pro- 
testant Reformation  were  assailed  in  the  Council 
Chamber  of  Charleston,  Dr.  Bachman  intrepidly 
came  to  the  front  and  vindicated  them  in  the  im- 
pregnable argument  of  this  book. 

"  John  Bachman  was  one  of  the  noblest  men  I  ever 
knew,  and  one  of  the  most  glorious  men  of  this 
century. 

"As  an  original  observer  in  the  field  of  Natural  His- 
tory, he  did  not  have  an  equal  in  this  country,  and 
no  superior  among  his  cotemporaries  in  Europe. 
His  personal  investigations  went  far  towards  settling 
the  question  agitated  in  his  day,  of  the  Unity  of  the 
Human  Race.  He  was  equally  remarkable  as  a 
practical  philanthropist.  By  night  and  by  day,  in 
sunshine  and  in  storm,  he  ministered  with  un- 
wearied assiduity  to  the  sick  and  the  poor;  and  when 
the  destroying  angel  swooped  down  in  season  of 
epidemic,  he  opposed  him,  as  if  he  were  an  angel 
from  Heaven  vested  in  the  garb  of  humanity. 

"  When   Bachman    died,   Science    and    Religion 


Stones  for  Children.  325 

walked  arm  in  arm  and  together  laid  their  blended 
wreaths  of  laurel  and  cypress  upon  his  honored 
grave." 

The  controversy  ended  and  the  book  published, 
Dr.  Bachman  turned  to  more  agreeable  occupations, 
among  these  were  stories  on  Natural  History,  for 
the  instruction  and  amusement  of  children. 

Dr.  Summers,  then  editing  the  Sunday  School 
Vizi-tor  in  Charleston,  writes  : 

"  I  furnished  the  Doctor  cuts  of  animals,  and  he 
wrote  charming  articles  for  the  children,  which  were 
highly  prized  by  the  readers  of  that  periodical.  I 
preserved  the  bound  volumes  for  the  four  years  I 
edited  it,  but  they  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1872. 
I  hope  that  files  have  been  preserved  by  others,  that 
these  admirable  communications  may  be  reproduced 
when  the  Doctor's  literary  remains  shall  be  pub- 
lished." 

We  remember  this  bright,  fresh  series  of  Stories- 
on  Natural  History,  welcomed  and  enjoyed  by  parents 
as  well  as  children,  copies  of  which  were  preserved 
for  years  in  the  Pastor's  home.  Unfortunately  they 
have  been  destroyed. 

He  had  many  hobbies — his  garden,  poultry,  bees, 
etc.,  and  he  led  hosts  of  his  friends  to  find  healthful 
occupation  and  amusement  for  their  leisure  hours. 

He  was  very  successful  in  raising  ducks.  Just 
beyond  his  vegetable-garden  there  lay  a  salt-water 
pond.  Here  he  set  traps  and  caught  by  the  whole- 
sale minnows,  eels,  etc.,  to  feed  his  ducks,  and  they 


326  John  Bachman. 

repaid   him  for  their  generous  diet.     One  year  he 
raised  over  three  hundred. 
Dr.  Summers  writes: 

"  Of  course  the  Doctor  went  into  the  rage  for 
Shanghai  Fowls,  when  they  came  to  the  'fore.'  He 
showed  me  one  day,  a  hen  which  laid  one  hundred 
and  twelve  eggs  in  one  hundred  and  sixteen  days. 
She  did  not  keep  many  Sabbaths !  Of  course  she 
was  a  great  pet. 

The  Doctor  came  to  our  office  on  one  occasion  in 
a  pleasant  mood,  and  said  :  'Summers,  I'm  going  to 
Synod,  and  I  will  give  you  a  Shanghai  cock  and 
two  hens  of  my  fine  breed,  if  you  will  preach  for  me 
in  my  absence,  and  Wightman, (afterwards  Bishop — 
Methodist  Church),  I  shall  make  the  same  bargain 
with  you.'  We  both  agreed.  I  remarked  that  I  must 
have  the  fowls  in  advance  !  The  fowls  came — fine, 
fat  fellows,  and  the  sermons  were  preached." 

His  fine  ducks,  Shanghai  fowls,  etc.,  he  frequently 
distributed  among  his  friends. 

FROM  HIS  SON-IN-LAW,  MR.  HASKELL. 

"  I  thank  you  very  much  for  your  present  of  fine 
Shanghais ;  1  cannot  get  Harriet  to  send  you  the  five 
fat  hens  promised  ;  but  you  shall  have  them,  if  I 
have  to  steal  them  from  her.  Come  up  to  Oakland,  I 
am  keeping  all  the  deer  for  you.  Three  were  started 
yesterday,  but  none  killed." 

From  his  Daughter  Harriet  : 

My  dear  Father :  Don't  believe  a  word  Mr.  H. 
says  about  the  hens.  I  am  so  anxious  to  get  them 
to  you,  that  it  was  as  much  as  he  could  do  to  pre- 
vent my  sending  them  to  you  by  Ben  on  horse- 


At  Synod.  327 

back,  in  the  market-basket.  I  write  to  ask  you  to 
come  up  as  soon  as  possible,  and  take  your  pick  of  the 
finest.  The  Shanghais  are  doing  well,  notwithstand- 
ing sundry  visits  from  the  rats.  I  have  named 
them  after  five  young  gentlemen,  and  have  already 
selected  the  names  of  the  three  Lady-Shanghais  I 
wish  you  to  save  for  me.  If  you  succeed  in  pro- 
curing the  ferrets,  Mr.  H.  asks  that  you  will  give 
directions  with  regard  to  the  mode  of  keeping 
them,  etc.  *  *  * 

P.  S. — Little  John  Bachman,says,  "  tell  Grand-pa, 
I  never  cry  now  when  I  am  washed. "  We  have 
made  a  rule  that  he  shall  only  ride  on  his  pony 
when  he  is  good.  *  *  H.  E.  H. 

The  Synod  of  South  Carolina  convened  at  St. 
Matthews.  Dr.  Bachman,  wrote  : 

To  MRS.  BACHMAN  : 

ST.  MATTHEWS,  Nov.  12th,  1853. 

We  arrived  here  in  safety,  found  carriages  in 
superfluity  at  Lewisville.  The  land  is  flowing  in 
abundance — turkeys,  sausages,  pigs,  and  everything 
else  to  cause  a  man  to  eat  to  fulness  and  invite 
dyspepsia  to  take  up  his  abode  within  him.  I  am 
quite  well,  but  sleepless.  T  am  either  too  much  ex- 
cited by  talking  with  my  old  friends,  whom  I  have 
met  again  after  a  year's  separation,  or  I  have  laid 
in  too  many  creature  comforts,  or  taken  too  strong 
coffee,  or  breathed  too  much  of  the  smoke  of  the 
Indian-weed.  Which  it  is,  I  know  not;  but  I  have 
not  had  one  hour's  sound  sleep  since  I  left  home.  I 
shall,  however,  make  a  desperate  effort  to  sleep  to- 
night. I  have  eaten  no  supper,  changed  my  room — 


•328  John  Bachman. 

where  I  shall  not  hear  S snore,  and  I  have 

barred  the  door  against  tobacco  smoke. 

We  have  much  business  before  the  Synod,  and  I 
really  cannot  guess  when  we  shall  get  through 
with  it,  certainly  not  before  Wednesday  night.  I 
shall  write  you  again,  if  possible ;  but  we  are  some 
miles  away  from  the  Postoffice. 

Dr.  Bachman  disliked  the  smoke  of  the  weed,  but 
he  enjoyed  a  pinch  of  snuff.  Dr.  Summers  tells  us 
that  his  friend,  knowing  his  aversion  to  snuff,  used 
to  tease  him  by  taking  out  his  snuff-box. 

"Opening  and  tapping  it  as  only  an.  inveterate 
snuff-taker  can  do  it,  he  would  proffer  it  to  me  to 
excite  my  impotent  rage.  But  one  day  he  talked 
about  it  very  seriously,  deeply  regretting  that  he 
had  become  a  slave  to  the  bad  habit.  He  said  that  he 
once  determined  to  break  his  chains.  He  took 
passage  in  a  sailing  ship  from  Charleston  to  Europe, 
filling  his  snuff-box,  but  taking  no  further  supply. 
There  are  no  tobacconist's  shops  in  the  Atlantic,  so 
that  when  his  box  should  be  emptied,  he  could  not 
replenish  it,  and  thus  he  would  break  the  habit. 
Several  young  men  took  passage  with  the  Doctor. 
In  two  or  three  days  he  exhausted  the  box.  The 
first  day  after,  he  felt  moping  and  uneasy,  and  the 
next  day  nervous  and  petulant ;  the  day  after  that, 
ready  to  jump  overboard.  The  young  men,  who 
were  watching  him  closely,  having  got  wind  of  his 
intention,  smuggled  a  bladder  of  snuff  into  his 
state-room.  He  told  me  that  when  he  saw  it,  he 
plunged  incontinently  into  it,  and  snuffed  and 
snuffed  again.  He  had  enough  to  last  him  the 
whole  voyage,  and  never  did  attempt  to  break  his 
chain ;  and  never  after  this  confession  did  I  abme 
him  for  snuffing." 


Self-control  329 

But  later  Dr.  Bachman  broke  his  chains.  With 
his  indomitable  will,  he  could  not,  without  con- 
tinued struggle,  remain  a  slave  to  a  habit  he 
deplored. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  (1865),  he  wrote  to  Mr. 
R.  G.  C.,  a  member  of  his  congregation,  thanking 
him  for  sundry  useful  and  valuable  gifts. 

"  My  heart  is  overflowing  with  gratitude,  more 
than  language  can  express.  I  ought  to  suffer  with 
the  community  around  me — and  I  have  not  suffered 
in  proportion  with  others.  One  thing,  however,  I 
have  done,  I  have  practiced  a  little  more  self-denial. 
I  had  been  a  snuff-taker  for  forty  years,  and  I  had 
tried  three  times  to  wean  myself  from  the  vice.  I 
have  done  it  effectually  now,  and  my  snuff-box  is 

lying  idle  in  my  daughter  C 's  desk ;  so  I  use 

neither  spirits  nor  tobacco  in  any  form." 

This  was  nine  years  before  his  death.  He  never 
once  again  "  opened  and  tapped  his  box/'  proffered  it 
to  a  friend,  or  took  a  friendly  pinch  from  his  neigh- 
bor's snuff-box. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A  VISIT  TO  FLORIDA. 

SCIENTIFIC  AND  PASTORAL  WORK — IN  THE  HOME — THE  MIRAB- 
ILIS — HIS  AMANUENSIS — ANXIOUS  HOURS — A  SUCCESSFUL 
HUNT — VISIT  TO  FLORIDA. 

THE  Correspondence  preserved  during  the  years 
1851,  1855  and  1856,  would  indicate  that  these 
years  were,  humanly  speaking,  uneventful  to  the 
subject  of  this  memoir. 

Perhaps  a  suitable  heading  would  be  work.  Scien- 
tific articles  and  pamphlets  published  and  in  course 
of  preparation,  general  work  undertaken  for  the 
benefit  of  the  community  at  large,  work  appointed 
by  Synod  and,  above  all,  his  life-work — the  charge 
of  St.  John's — on  the  Pastor's  side,  earnest,  faithful 
service,  on  that  of  his  large  congregation,  unfailing 
confidence  and  consideration. 

In  his  home  we  trace  the  gentle  courtesies  that 
softened  the  cares  and  sorrows  of  life.  Like  the  cal- 
endar, they  began  on  New  Year's  Day,  and  con- 
tinued until  crowned  by  festive  December. 

Found  on  the  flyleaf  of  a  Note- book. 

To  MRS.  BACHMAN  : 

JANUARY  1st,  1855. 

"  The  Spring  and  Summer  time  of  life  passes 
onward  to  the  sober  realities  of  Autumn  and  the 
Winter's  storms;  times  and  seasons  change;  but 


The  Wound  of  a  Friend.  331 

affections,  founded  on  intelligence  and  worth,  are 
perennial.  Like  pure  streams  flowing  through  the 
valleys,  they  widen  and  deepen  until  they  are  puri- 
fied and  perpetuated  in  the  wide  ocean  of  eternity. 

J.  B." 

Copy  of  leaf  dedicatory  in  "  I Vood's  United  States 
Dispensatory." 

My  Dear  Wife  —  If  I  supposed  that  you  were 
fond  of  finery,  I  might  have  given  you  a  silk  dress, 
or  a  Cashmere  shawl — which  you  fully  merit ;  if 
emulous  of  articles  of  taste  and  extravagance,  I 
would  have  selected  books  of  engravings  in  gilded 
and  embossed  binding.  But,  as  your  tastes  are  sim- 
ple, practical  and  economical,  allow  me  to  present 
you  with  a  good  family  book,  full  of  knowledge  and 
calculated  for  daily  use. 

Your  devoted  husband,  J.  B." 

DEC.  25th,  1855. 

We  have  alluded  to  the  mirth-provoking  rhymes 
that  were  frequently  placed  on  the  Pastor's  plate  at 
table.  These  compositions  were  written  at  the  insti- 
gation of  the  younger  members  of  the  family — Mrs. 
Bachman  was  generally  the  composer.  If  the  hits 
were  too  hard,  the  Pastor's  blank  verse  was  always 
ready  at  hand.  He  would  laugh  and  say,  "  In  my 
youth  I  indulged  in  writing  poetry,  and  sent  my 
early  effusions  to  the  village  newspaper  for  publi- 
cation. Then  I  waited,  with  no  little  interest  and 
curiosit}^,  for  the  comments  and  criticism  that  were 
sure  to  follow.  One  day  I  drew  out  a  remark  from 
a  gentleman  whose  opinion  I  valued  on  this  subject. 
Pointing  to  the  paper,  I  said  :  '  What  do  you  think 


332  John  Bachman. 

of  this  poetry  ? '  He  replied  :  '  The  fellow  who 
wrote  it  would,  probably,  do  better  at  the  plow?  From 
that  time  I  saved  quires  of  paper,  and  much  precious 
time."  But  his  home  effusions  were  given  to  far  less 
critical  ears,  and  were  received  with  hearty  greet- 
ings and  followed  by  genuine  applause  and  merri- 
ment. 

Mrs.  Bachman's  poetry  was  very  simple,  written 
for  the  pleasure  and  amusement  of  the  home  circle. 
One  of  her  best  was  : 

"  The  Appeal  of  the  MirabU-is"  (Four  O'clock). 

Dr.  Bachman  had  become  weary  of  these  fragrant 
flowers  that  grew  year  after  year  in  the  little  plot 
before  his  study  windows,  and  he  bade  the  gardener 
pull  them  up.  But  the  little  silvery  tongued  mes- 
senger came  in  and  appealed  to  so  many  tender 
memories  in  his  heart,  that  the  gay  old-fashioned, 
unpretending  flower  was  allowed  to  remain  and  to 
bloom,  undisturbed,  year  after  year. 

To  MRS.  LUCY  AUDUBON: 

March  30th,  1856. 

As  your  old  and  faithful  correspondent  and  friend, 
is  now,  by  the  will  of  a  Wise  Providence,  deprived  of 
the  privilege  of  writing  to  you  or  to  any  one  else,  I 
write  to  give  you  the  sad  particulars. 

When  she  was  at  New  Orleans,  on  her  way  to 
Cuba  with  our  dear  Eliza,  her  foot  slipped  and  she- 
injured  her  right  arm  in  the  fall.  At  first  she  com- 
plained of  the  pain  at  intervals  of  three  or  four 
months,  then  more  frequently  ;  but  for  two  months 
past,  the  pain  has  been  incessant,  and  the  hand  has 
become  helpless. 


Anxieties.  333 

To  one  of  her  active  habits—  so  fond  of  painting, 
sewing,  and  corresponding  with  her  friends,  it  is  a 
very  great  deprivation.  Our  daughters  do  every- 
thing for  her  comfort ;  but  she  misses  the  privilege 
of  occupation  ;  and  regrets  most  that  she  can  no 
longer  be  useful  to  me  and  to  those  around  her. 

Her  physicians  think  that  even  amputation 
would  not  prevent  her  constitution  from  being 
hopelessly  shattered.  To  myself  her  present  situa- 
tion is  full  of  foreboding  and  terrible  anxiety.  She 
has  been  a  mother  to  my  children — my  adviser — on 
whose  judgment  I  always  relied ;  my  companion, 
my  help  in  all  things.  Conscientious  in  all  her 
duties,  gentle  and  confiding,  my  home  would  be 
desolate  without  her. 

My  children  and  grandchildren  are  all  devoted  to 
her.  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  all  write  to  her — 
write  cheerfully,  and,  as  far  as  you  can,  encourag- 
ingly. She  is  not  naturally  buoyant  in  spirit ;  but 
her  mind  is  well  disciplined  in  the  school  of  trial 
and  adversity. 

In  all  other  respects  Providence  has  smiled  upon 
us.  I  am  able  to  attend  to  my  ministerial  duties, 
and  on  last  Sunday,  had  an  accession  of  twenty  to 
the  Church. 

With  love  to  all,    *     * 

J.  B. 
To  VICTOR  AUDUBON  : 

As  your  Aunt  Maria  is  unable  to  write,  I  answer 
your  letter ;  she  is  trying  to  write  with  her  left  hand, 
but  she  is  so  inexpert,  that  you  would  not  recognize 
the  writing  as  coming  from  one  belonging  to  our 
house.  Her  right  arm  becomes  every  day  more 
rigid,  and  what  will  be  the  result,  God  only' knows. 
She  has  long  been  to  me  more  than  a  right  hand, 
and  it  is  my  duty  now  to  cheer  and  encourage  her, 


334  John  Bachman. 

and  to  make  her  life  as  pleasant  as  kindness  and 
devoted  affection  can  render  it.  She  bears  all  with 
great  patience  and  submission.  She  is  in  my  study 
seated  by  my  side. 

We  are  sorry  that  you  have  not  been  well.  Aunt 
Maria  begs  me  to  say  to  you,  that  a  few  weeks  spent 
in  old  Charleston  would  cure  you.  Our  Winter  was 
severe,  and  the  Spring  is  backward ;  the  Jasmines 
are  now  in  full  bloom,  our  Wistaria  is  superb — and 
our  hearts  are  open  to  welcome  you.  Can  you  not 
come  on  and  see  us  ? 

P.  S.   FROM  MRS.  BACHMAN: 

With  my  left  hand  I  will  add,  that  I  believe  the 
sight  of  you,  would  do  me  more  good  than  all  the 
Doctors. 

You  remember  the  fall  I  had  in  New  Orleans.  I 
must,  then,  have  dislocated  my  elbow,  which  now, 
after  the  lapse  of  sixteen  years,  renders  the  arm 
useless.  M.  B. 

The  following  February,  (1857,)  Mrs.  Bachman's 
health  was  yet  more  seriously  undermined  by  an 
attack  of  pneumonia.  Her  physician,  fearing  that 
in  her  enfeebled  condition  her  constitution  could 
not  stand  the  shock  of  such  a  disease,  prudently 
concealed  from  his  patient  the  nature  of  her  dis- 
order. When  it  was  found  necessary  to  call  in  a 
consulting  physician,  he  came  as  a  friend  and  brought 
with  him  a  specimen  of  a  rare  plant,  saying,  "  We 
want  you  to  help  us  to  find  the  name  of  this  strange 
plant.  When  we  doctors  are  puzzled  in  Materia 
medica  we  come  to  you ;  but  first  you  must  let  us 
help  you  to  get  rid  of  this  wretched  cold." 


Hope.  335 

Her  husband  could  not  trust  himself  near  her  for 
more  than  a  few  minutes  at  a  time,  lest  he  should 
betray  his  fears  and  anxieties.  He  had  begun  to 
have  his  flower-garden  dug  up  and  enriched  in 
trenches ;  here  he  spent  most  of  his  time,  to  be  with- 
in call,  if  she  should  suddenly  grow  worse.  The 
passer  by  who  watched  him  apparently  entirely  ab- 
sorbed in  his  work,  never  guessed  the  motive — the 
almost  necessity  for  bodily  labor.  When  the 
trenches  were  finished,  they  were  found  to  be  too 
deep,  only  the  roots  of  the  most  vigorous  plants 
reached  the  rich  soil  beneath ;  his  friends  under- 
stood the  cause  of  his  too  thorough  work  in  his  flower- 
garden. 

To  VICTOR  AUDUBON. 

March  2d,  1857. 

To-day,  I  can  write  you  encouragingly  with  re- 
gard to  my  good  wife's  health  ;  to-morrow  I  shall 
take  her  to  "  Kalmia "  to  spend  a  few  weeks  with 
her  friend,  Mrs.  Gregg.  I  shall  come  down  always 
at  the  close  of  the  week.  I  find  myself  enjoying  life, 
and  still  able  to  go  through  a  certain  amount  of 
labor.  *  * 

Mrs.  Bach  man's  condition  for  some  time  kept  me 
much  at  home — my  mind  was  too  anxious  to  allow 
me  to  read  or  to  write  with  any  composure  or  satis- 
faction—I found  resources  in  my  gardens  and  poultry. 
I  have  been  very  successful  in  raising  both  vegeta- 
bles and  poultry,  and  am,  almost  independent  of  the 
market. 

Come  to  us  about  the  first  of  October,  and  perhaps 
I  may  spare  time  to  go  with  you  to  Florida — the 


336  John  Bachman. 

finest  Winter  climate  in  the  world.     We  all  long  to 
hear  favorable  news  of  your  health.     *    *    *    * 

J.  B. 

In  November,  1857,  six  of  his  grandchildren  were 
ill  with  "  Scarlet  Fever ;  "  John  HaskelPs  case  was 
mild  at  first,  but  a  relapse  brought  him  to  the 
borders  of  the  grave.  His  grandfather  anxiously 
watched  at  his  bedside — the  attendant  physician 
had  abandoned  all  hope  of  his  recovery.  John 
Haskell  used  to  say,  in  reference  to  this  illness,  "  My 
grandfather's  prayers  brought  me  back  to  life." 

To  JOHN  AUDUBON: 

CHARLESTON,  Dec.  17th,  1857. 

"  Another  year  is  drawing  to  a  close,  how  rapidly 
time  flies  !  Old  reminiscences  crowd  into  my  mind. 
I  embrace  the  leisure  of  a  rainy  morning  to  answer 
long  neglected  letters — }7ours  is  the  first  on  the  list. 

The  sick,  thank  God,  are  all  better.  Mrs.  Bach- 
man has  gained  seven  pounds,  although  she  now 
reaches  but  seventy-eight  pounds — the  weight  of  three 
well  fattened  old  gobblers.  HaskelPs  children  are  all 
in  health  again.  John,  who  was  so  very  ill,  came 
from  the  country  last  week  and  paid  us  a  visit. 

I  have  been  troubled  with  dyspepsia,  I  sleep  badly 
and  have  night-mare;  but  I  know  the  cure — the 
country  and  an  ambling  pony.  So  I  said  last  week, 
1  will  go  to  '  Goose  Creek  '  and  take  a  hunt,  and 
defy  this  intruder  on  my  repose.  I  went,  but  was  called 
home  by  a  sick  parishioner,  two  hours  after  I  had 
been  in  the  woods.  I  was,  however,  so  fortunate  as 
•to  kill  one  youn#  buck  and  to  wound  another, 
<which  I  suppose  the  boys  captured.  I  could  not  re- 


A  Deer  Hunt.  337 

main,  but  hastened  home.  Even  this  snatch  of 
country  air  did  me  good — I  must  go  again.  Since 
the  planters  have  fenced  off  intruders  and  given  up 
hunting  in  Summer,  the  deer  have  increased  beyond 
our  expectations.  They  have,  on  several  occasions, 
.started  forty  in  a  morning — and  once  ten  were  in  a 
gang. 

My  son  W m  and  his  wife  are  here  to  spend 

the  Christmas  holidays.  I  wish  you  were  with  us 
to  join  them  to-day  at  dinner ;  we  are  to  have  a 

haunch  of  venison  and  a  wild  turkey.     W in  longs 

to  get  into  a  snipe- bog — an  amusement  which  I 
should  not  much  relish.  Sons  and  daughters  are 
all  well.  *  *  * 

My  little  grandsons  come  over  almost  every 
morning  to  join  me  at  breakfast.  With  love  to  all, 
and  hoping  to  see  some  of  you  in  my  home. 

Affectionately  yours,  J.  B. 

To  THE  SAME  : 

"  You  asked  me  in  your  last  to  give  you  an  ac- 
count of  our  visit  to  "  Liberty  Hall,"  Goose  Creek. 
My  old  friend  B.  went  up  with  me  and  we  gave  one 
day  to  the  ducks  and  small  game,  and  another  to 
the  deer. 

The  duck-shooting  was  moderately  good.  I  could 
not  crawl  in  the  mud,  or  wade  up  to  my  waist  in 
water,  so  that  I  took  them  on  the  wing ;  sometimes 
I  tumbled  over  one  or  two  fat  fellows  at  a  shot,  and 
then  again  only  made  the  feathers  fly.  I  bagged 
some  Wood-cocks  and  a  few  Partridges  ;  there  were 
no  Snipe,  and,  when  I  had  a  chance  at  a  couple  of 
old  Gobblers,  I  had  only  Snipe-shot,  so  I  saved  my 
powder  and  my  credit,  and  let  the  Gobblers  run. 

The  Deer-hunt  was  worth  talking  about.  We  had 
two  young  fellows  with  us,  who  now  and  then  hit — r 


338  John  Packman. 

but  their  general  rule  was  to  miss.  We  heard  them 
banging  away  at  the  Deer  right  and  left — they 
seemed  to  have  all  the  fun  to  themselves  ;  but  when 
they  had  taken  seven  shots,  and  killed  only  a  young 
buck,  our  turn  came.  Two  Deer  came  in  sight  of 
B.,  he  fired  and  wounded  one,  and  the  other  came 
in  my  direction.  I  fired  at  ninety -two  yards,  and 
off  he  went.  Soon  after,  B.'s  wounded  Deer  hove  in 
sight  and  I  rolled  him  over  in  fine  style.  The 
splendid  doe  I  had  fired  at,  came  now  within  a  few 
hundred  yards,  and,  with  a  single  shot  through  the 
lungs,  fell  dead.  We  kept  our  stands  and  sent  the 
driver  back.  Soon  three  Deer  came  in  gunshot  of 
B.  He  dropped  one  on  the  spot,  and  wounded 
another;  the  third,  a  roaring  buck,  came  towards 
nie  like  a  hurricane  ;  I  pulled  trigger  and  he  made 
half  a  dozen  somersets,  managed  to  leap  the  fence, 
and  then  gave  in  his  adhesion.  The  boys  took  a 
seven  mile  chase  and  captured  B.'s  wounded  Deer. 
We  had  six  Deer  strung  up  under  the  old  pecan- 
nut  tree,  and  we  felt  that  we  had  glory  enough  for 
one  day.  Tell  me,  can  you  get  up  such  a  pleasant 
little  hunt  anywhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Palisades?  John,  how  you  would  have  relished  the 
fun? 

LONG  SWAMP,  MARION  COUNTY,  FLA.,  April  1st,  1860. 

My  dear,  blessed  Wife :  Night  before  last  was  a 
very  happy  evening  to  me.  Col.  S.  had  taken  me  on 
an  expedition  of  sight-seeing  and  of  pleasure  to 
Withlacoochee  river  and  to  Panasofkee  Lake,  where 
we  remained  two  days.  We  returned  Friday  at 
five  P.  M.  It  was  mail  day  and  I  hoped  to  hear 
from  home ;  so  off  we  started  through  the  pine 
woods  and  circled  around  the  trees  for  sixteen 
miles.  At  eight  o'clock,  P.  M.,  in  the  moonlight, 
we  reached  our  destination.  Sure  enough,  there 


Florida.  339 

was  your  long  and  most  delightful  letter,  written 
with  your  left  hand.  It  repaid  me  for  my  night's 
ride ;  it  relieved  my  mind  of  anxiety  and  enabled 
me  to  sleep  like  a  top.  Thank  God  for  all  his 
goodness ! 

I  preached  to-day,  (Sund'ay),  and  baptized  Bach- 
man  Hazelius — a  boy  of  twelve,  with  a  skin  as  black 
as  Corvus-Americanu?.  Now  I  think  that  it  will  be 
no  sin,  and  no  playing  the  April  fool,  if  I  write  you 
a  letter. 

My  health  has  improved  greatly,  my  disease  was 
checked  and  nature  worked  the  further  cure. 

We  have  venison  every  day,  and  enioy  the  finest 
fish  that  ever  floated  in  a  transparent  lake.  I  par- 
take of  food  moderately,  and,  at  night,  take  a  cup  of 
tea,  but  eat  no  supper.  * 

The  Geological  structure  of  this  country  is  most  in- 
teresting, but  very  simple — it  is  almost  a  uniform 
level.  The  land,  like  the  bed  on  which  Charleston 
stands,  has  been  formed  from  the  ocean.  There 
have  been  upheavals  throughout  the  whole  State — 
these  have  produced  fissures  in  the  lime-stone  rocks 
beneath,  the  waters  percolating  through  the  sand, 
are  purified  and  become  like  crystal.  These  are 
discharged  into  innumerable  lakes — Griffin,  Orange, 
Ware,  with  smaller  lakes,  every  eight  or  ten  miles, 
-abounding  in  the  finest  fresh-water  fish  in  the  world. 

There  are  scarcely  any  rivers  in  Florida;  even 
the  St.  John's  River  is  but  a  succession  of  lakes; 
the  streams,  such  as  they  are,  run  from  South  to 
North.  It  is  a  singular  country.  Suddenly — in  a 
single  night,  half  an  acre  of  ground,  it  is  said,  settles 
down,  perhaps  twenty  feet,  and  is  found  full  of 
crystal  water,  large  fish,  and  now  and  then  an  Alli- 
gator— all  carried  through  some  underground  rail- 
road. 

One  thing  has  struck  me  every  day  ;  for  twenty 


340  John  Bachman. 

miles  there  may  be  no  settlement,  yet  you  cannot 
divest  your  mind  of  the  idea  that  you  are'in  a  finely 
cultivated  country.  The  prairies  look  like  farms ; 
the  Live  Oak  and  Orange  groves,  cause  you  in- 
voluntarily to  look  for  the  farm-house.  Moreover, 
the  whole  country  is  full  of  cattle — not  wild ;  the 
shepherds  drive  them  up,  and  mark  them,  at  least, 
twice  in  the  year.  This  was  the  country  for  the 
lazy  Indian  ;  fish  most  abundant,  game  plentiful, 
the  Kunty-root  for  bread,  plenty  of  light-wood,  herds 
of  cattle,  Indian  ponies,  pumpkins,  melons,  ground- 
nuts and  sweet  potatoes — the  latter  remaining  in 
the  ground,  and  growing  larger  with  age.  Then 
the  rich  hammocks — fifty  bushels  of  corn  can  be 
raised  to  the  acre. 

I  have  been  much  gratified  at  finding  many 
specimens  in  Natural  History  that  the  world  knows 
of  only  by'name,  and  several  species  of  undescribed 
plants.  The  Deer  are  not  plentiful — they  have 
been  killed  by  the  disease  called  "  black  tongue." 

They  are  fast  clearing  out  the  Cougars  in  this  part 
of  Florida — we  staid  with  a  gentleman  who  has 
killed  upwards  of  ninety.  We  saw  their  tracks  and 
those  of  the  Bear  at  Withlacoochee.  Here  the  Par- 
roquets  fly  about  like  Wild  Pigeons,  and  I  found 
the  Florida  Jay  breeding  here;  I  saw  about  fifty 
Whooping-Cranes,  examined  their  nests  and  hope  to 
bring  home  their  eggs,  of  which  Naturalists,  as  yet 
know  nothing. 

I  have  given  the  Colonel  a  lesson  in  Wild-cat 
hunting,  that  I  think  will  enable  him  to  rid  himself 
of  these  pests.  The  boys  go  out  at  daylight  with 
the  dogs,  and  the  Cat  is  treed.  They  blow  the  horn  ; 
then  we  ride  up,  rattle  the  buck-shot  around  his 
ears,  sling  him  behind  the  saddle  and  go  home  to 
breakfast. 

I  wish  that  you  could  have  seen  us  bobbing  for 


Florida.  341 

Trout  on  the  lake.  I  caught  one  that  I  think  might 
have  served  to  feed  our  whole  family.  There  were 
Bream  and  Perch  caught  that  weighed  from  two 
pounds  to  perhaps  four.  I  shall  see  you  on 
Saturday  next.  Ask  me  then  whether  the  Trout  are 
as  big  as  little  J. 

Love  to  all, 

J.  B. 


15 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
WORK  FOR  THE  CHURCH. 

AT  SrXTY-EIGHT  VIGOROUS  AND  HOPEFUL — EVEN  TENOR  OF  LIFB 
BROKEN  BY  DEATH  OF  A  BELOVED  DAUGHTER — SERMON  ON 
FORTY-THIRD  ANNIVERSARY  OF  MINISTRY  IN  CHARLESTON 
— AS  PREACHER  AND  PASTOR — PROGRESSIVE  SPIRIT — SOUTH- 
ERN BOOK  OF  WORSHIP — A  COMMON  SERVICE— LUTHER ANISM[ 

STURDY    AND    UNCOMPROMISING NEWBERRY     COLLEGE — DRS. 

STORK   AND  BROWN. 

In  1858,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight,  Dr.  Bach  man 
spoke  of  himself  as  an  old  man  ;  but,  in  fact,  he  was 
then  scarcely  beyond  the  prime  of  his  rich,  full  life. 
We  quote  his  words,  used  after  anxious  and  exhaust- 
ing labors;  "I  know  a  cure,  a  run  into  the  country, 
and  an  ambling  pony.  Providence  has  smiled  up- 
on me,  and  I  find  myself  enjoying  life  and  able  to 
accomplish  a  certain  amount  of  labor"— and  this 
was  no  small  amount. 

In  the  winter-home  of  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  W.  E. 
Haskell,  he  enjoyed,  besides  his  panacea,  "country 
air  and  horseback  exercise,"  the  society  and  devoted 
attentions  of  his  daughter,  Harriet  Eva,  Mrs.  W.  E. 
Haskell.  There  was  a  singular  congeniality  of  tem- 
perament between  father  and  daughter ;  alike  ener- 
getic, buoyant,  and  loving,  the  interchange  of  visits, 
after  her  marriage,  was  looked  forward  to  with  mu- 
tual delight. 


Forty -third  Anniversary.  343 

In  April,  1858,  his  daughter's  family  formed  part 
of  his  household  in  Charleston.  On  the  12th  of  May, 
an  event  occurred,  that  broke  in  upon  the  even  tenor 
of  his  life,  and  overshadowed  all  its  brightness — the 
death  of  this  beloved  daughter. 

Mrs.  W.  E.  Haskell,  at  the  age  of  thirty-five,  was 
laid  to  rest,  with  her  baby  at  her  side. 

The  country  home,  where  he  had  spent  so  many 
happy  days,  was  forthwith  abandoned,  and  his  four 
granddaughters  from  that  time  became  members  of 
his  household  (John  Haskell  remaining  with  his 
father.) 

Again  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's  closed  the  door  of 
his  study,  and  gave  one  day  to  "  the  luxury  of  grief." 
Then  he  came  forth  bravely  to  meet  the  labors  and 
cares  of  life;  but,  when  the  shadows  of  evening 
lengthened,  and  the  pressing  duties  of  the  day  were 
ended,  tender  recollections  of  the  young  life  that  had 
been  his  pride  and  joy,  flooded  his  heart  He  would 
sit  rapt  in  thought,  until  aroused  by  the  voices 
of  his  little  grandchildren  singing  their  evening 
hymn. 

January  10th,  1858,  Dr.  Bachman  celebrated  the 
forty-third  anniversary  of  his  ministry  in  Charles- 
ton. We  give  a  few  extracts  from  the  sermon 
preached  on  that  occasion. 

Deuteronomy  Chap.  IV,  32.  "  Ask  now  of  the 
days  that  are  past" 

The  traveller  wearied  and  perplexed  by  the  oc- 
currences on  the  road,  sometimes  sits  down  to 
review  his  travels,  and  recalls  to  his  mind  the  pleas- 


344  John  Bachman. 

ant  or  the  painful  occurrences  on  the  road.  He  hopes 
to  be  profited  by  the  recollection  of  the  past  failures 
or  successes.  He  looks  forward  with  intense  anxiety 
to  the  end  of  his  journey,  and  anticipates  the  pleas- 
ure of  meeting  again  with  those,  from  whom  he 
has  been  separated  for  a  brief  season.  In  the  same 
manner,  the  Christian  traveller  has  his  periods 
sacred  to  thought ;  and  with  regard  to  his  spiritual 
life,  he  often  pauses  to  ask  of  the  days  that  are  past 

In  the  life  of  your  aged  pastor,  this  is  one  of  those 
solemn  periods,  pregnant  with  recollections,  through 
&  long  series  of  years,  in  his  ministry.  Come  then, 
my  Christian  friends,  let  us  calmly,  earnestly,  and 
prayerfully,  ask  of  the  days  that  are  past. 

It  does  not  become  me  to  dwell  on  my  own  labors 
in  this  congregation.  I  feel  how  imperfect  are  the 
best  efforts  of  man  ;  wherever  there  have  been  suc- 
cesses, let  us  ascribe  all  the  praise  and  glory  to  God, 
to  whom  they  legitimately  belong.  Men  are  but  the 
instruments,  and  He,  the  Master,  often  gives  the 
blessing,  while  the  servant  is  unworthy. 

There  are  at  present  352  whites  entitled  to  com- 
munion in  this  Church.  Of  these  nearly  100  have 
removed  into  various  parts  of  the  country,  but  still 
retain  their  membership  with  us.  The  colored  com- 
municants amount  to  198 — making  in  the  aggregate 
550. 

During  my  ministry  of  forty-three  years,  I  have 
baptized  4,085  children  and  adults,  1,835  of  these 
were  colored.  I  have  confirmed  and  received  into 
the  communion  of  the  Church  2,100 — $00  were  col- 
ored. I  joined  in  the  holy  bands  of  wedlock  910 
couples,  of  these  about  300  were  colored.  I  buried 
1,210  whites  (I  have  no  account  of  the  funerals  of 
the  colored  communicants,  as  their  funeral  services 
were  generally  performed  by  their  leaders.)  *  *  * 
It  is  scarcely  possible  to  preserve  a  perfect  accuracy 


Annivcrsawj  Sermon.  345 

in  these  records ;  and  I  have  learned  from  long  ex- 
perience, that  many  mistakes  and  omissions  una- 
voidably occur. 

The  above  will  give  you,  however,  some  insight 
into  the  lights  and  shadows  in  the  life  of  a  clergyman. 
His  moments  oi  enjoyment  are  succeeded  by  hours 
of  anxiety  and  days  of  sorrow.  "  Those  whom  he 
has  baptized  and  admitted  into  the  Church,  he 
looks  upon  as  his  children.  If  they  are  pious  and 
happy,  the  Pastor's  heart  rejoices ;  if  they  become 
careless  and  unfaithful,  he  is  deeply  grieved,  and 
when  they  are  separated  by  death,  he  mourns  over 
them  as  a  loss  in  his  own  family.  *  *  * 

Alluding  to  the  changes  which  death  had  wrought 
during  his  ministry,  from  1815,  he  tells  us: 

When  I  arrived  among  you,  our  country  was 
under  the  administration  of  Madison,  the  fourth 
President  of  the  United  States — all  but  Washington 
were  living — these  are  now  all  dead ;  and,  of  the 
nine  Presidents  that  succeeded  him,  six  are  also  in 
their  graves. 

On  my  arrival  in  Charleston,  I  became  a  member 
of  the  German  Friendly  Society,  which  was  then 
composed  of  nearly  one  hundred  members — these 
have  all  passed  away,  and  I  am  now  the  oldest 
member. 

Of  the  few  communicants  I  found  in  this  Church 
on  my  arrival,  one  only  is  now  alive.  Of  the  eleven 
whose  names  were  signed  to  my  call — nine  vestry- 
men and  four  wardens — all  are  gone  to  their  ac- 
count. Of  the  committee  of  twenty-one,  who,  in 
1815,  reported  on  the  expediency  of  building  this 
Church,  all  are  dead.  Of  the  Pastors  who  occupied 
the  pulpits  of  our  city  on  my  arrival,  not  one  is 
living.  Of  the  managers  of  the  Bible  Society,  who 


346  John  Bachman. 

met  in  1815,  I  only  am  left,  and,  of  its  members,  I 
am  the  oldest  on  their  record. 

At  oar  first  confirmation,  in  1810,  sixty -four  per- 
sons were  dedicated  to  God,  nine  only  are  now  alive. 
Nearly  all  of  these  are  now  before  me.  You,  my 
dear  friends,  who  were  the  first  fruits  of  my  min- 
istry— you  are  all  that  are  now  left  of  that  crowd — 
the  rest  have  fallen  by  the  hand  of  death,  and  be- 
come the  tenants  of  the  devouring  grave.  You,  my 
friends,  will  surely  draw  near  to  me  in  my  decline 
of  life,  and  exhibit  to  the  younger  generations  your 
faith  in  God,  your  love  and  constancy  to  the  Saviour, 
and  your  assured  hope  of  everlasting  life.  *  *  * 

Little  remains  of  that  thread  of  life  which  has 
been  spun  out  in  the  midst  of  you.  In  a  few  weeks 
I  shall  have  attained  my  sixty-eighth  year.  I 
would  not  wish  to  recall  that  life,  unless  it  could  be 
spent  in  greater  usefulness  to  you  and  to  others,  I 
trust,  through  the  mercy  of  that  Saviour  who  died 
for  a  fallen  world,  that  I  shall  be  prepared  cheerfully, 
whenever  He  shall  see  fit  to  call  me  hence,  to 
resign  my  spirit  into  the  hands  of  that  God  who 
gave  it. 

This  congregation  is  the  only  one  I  have  had  the 
charge  of  since  my  ordination.  I  did  not  hesitate 
for  a  moment  to  give  a  negative  reply  to  all  invita- 
tions from  other  sources  in  the  Church,  and  from 
seats  of  learning — offering  higher  pecuniary  advan- 
tages. I  came  not  to  seek  your  wealth — a  minister, 
who  is  devoted  to  his  duties,  has  no  time  to  lay  up 
treasures  of  earth.  He  is  commanded  to  use  hospi- 
tality to  the  household  of  faith,  and  more  especially 
to  Ins  brethren  in  the  ministry.  He  is  liable  to 
daily  calls  on  his  income,  for  he  must  become  the 
almoner  of  the  poor,  and  listen  to  the  petitions  of 
the  stranger — in  this  way,  he  is  relieved  of  much 
that  he  receives.  *  *  *  * 


The  Days  that  are  Past  347 

In  youth  and  inexperience,  I  begun  my  early 
labors  in  the  South,  and  here  they  will,  in  all  human 
probability,  terminate.  I  came  among  you  with  a 
constitution  unaccli mated,  and  remained  with  you 
through  seasons  when  the  pestilence  was  making 
fearful  devastation  among  our  people,  especially 
among  the  poor  strangers  that  were  within  our  gates. 
In  my  performance  of  duty  to  them  during  these 
seasons  of  suffering,  of  sorrow,  and  of  death,  you 
will,  I  am  convinced,  exempt  me-  from  the  charge 
of  unfaithfulness. 

I  have  been  so  fully  identified  with  my  people, 
that  my  mind  recognizes  no  other  home  but  this ; 
for  the  home  of  my  youth  has  become  to  me  the 
house  of  the  stranger. 

I  have  spent  with  yo"u,  a  long  life  of  anxious  labor 
and  of  pleasant  duty.  My  people,  now  to  the  fourth 
generation,  have  ever  lived  with  me  in  peace  and 
love ;  they  have  confided  in  me  as  a  friend,  a  Pastor, 
and  a  father — and  so  may  it  be  until  this  connec- 
tion is  severed  by  the  hand  of  death — and  not  even 
then  severed  forever.  There  is  a  chain  which 
reaches  from  earth  to  heaven,  and  is  fastened  to  the 
throne  of  God.  Our  holy  religion  gives  to  the 
Christian  heart  assurances  of  recognition,  of  re- 
union, of  immortality,  and  of  bliss  at  God's  right  hand 
forever,  where  all  we  have  lost  on  earth,  will  be  re- 
stored to  us  again  ;  where  the  mind  will  be  enlarged, 
the  heart  purified,  and  our  capacity  for  enjoyment 
adapted  to  the  angelic  state.  * 

The  sermon  closed  with  an  earnest  appeal  to  his 
beloved  flock. 

0  could  my  voice  only  penetrate  the  hearts  of  all 
my  hearers — could  they  be  induced  with  prayer 
and  labor  to  aid  me  in  all  the  benevolent  institu- 


348  John  Bachman. 

tions  of  the  Church,  and  to  let  one  united  voice  go 
up  to  heaven,  "  We  will  serve  the  Lord." — then  might 
we  look  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for 
the  blessing  of  heaven,  and  the  salvation  of  many 
souls. 

It  has  been  said, 

"We  must  add  the  weight  of  Dr.  Bachman's 
character,  and  the  simplicity  of  his  affections,  to 
the  few  of  his  sermons  that  are  preserved  to  us, 
in  order  to  understand  the  charm  and  power  of 
his  appeals.  One  who  sat  for  years  under  his 
ministry  said:  'His  sermons  always  moved  me.' 
I  have  been  told  that  often  at  meetings  of  Synod  in 
the  country,  he  preached  without  manuscript  with 
powerful  effect.  His  voice  was  strong  and  sweet,  and 
his  style  and  manner,  were  indescribably  earnest. 

"  He  excelled  as  a  pastor,  and  this  not  because  he 
studied  the  pastoral  art;  but  because  he  loved  his 
people  and  really  trusted  God.  Genial,  observant, 
of  vast  and  varied  knowledge  and  experience, 
among  those  whom  he  had  known  from  babyhood,, 
and  on  whose  life,  even  their  schooling  and  their 
business,  he  had  exercised  much  influence,  in  ardent 
sympathy  with  their  institutions  and  manner  of 
thought,  and  keenly  appreciative  of  their  daily 
affection,  it  is  no  wonder  he  was  beloved  as  well  as 
admired.  All  his  words  seemed  to  his  people  wise. 
Everything  he  did  was  recounted.  They  were 
proud  of  his  fame.  They  were  honored  by  his  con- 
fidence. Even  pain  for  a  moment  ceased  at  the  sound 
of  his  voice.  His  tenderness  comforted.  His  prayer 
seemed  more  certain  to  be  answered.  And  the  com- 
fortable words  of  Holy  Scripture  seemed  to  get 
authority  from  his  kind  eye  and  beloved  lips. 

"  Dr.  Bachmari's  power  lay  not  in  what  he  said  or 
did,  not  in  his  manner,  but  in  himself.  It  was  the 


The  Book  of  Worship.  349 

man  gave  the  sermon  force,  and  to  his  kind  words  a 
healing  virtue.  In  literary  circles,  in  public  places, 
at  a  country  house,  in  Synod,  he  was  the  centre.  It 
is  easy  to  see,  as  we  read  the  dry  reports  of  Synods, 
how  much  he  was  respected,  how  proud  all  were  of 
him,  how  fearful  of  offending  him.  He  must  pre- 
side at  every  Synodical  Communion,  he  must  take 
part  in  every  ordination,  and  what  he  and  his 
church  are  doing,  was  spoken  of,  as  if  it  were  every- 
body's pride.  Lofty  in  principle,  pure  of  heart, 
zealous,  tender,  and  simple  as  a  child  in  his  trust  in 
God,  John  Bachman,  by  his  own  fidelity,  has  made 
the  past  and  the  future  of  St.  John's  congrega- 
tion."* 

We  have  seen,  that  in  his  early  ministry  in  a 
Southern  field,  he  was  among  the  pioneers  ot  the 
Lutheran  Church.  The  battle  for  the  revival  of  the 
doctrinal  basis  of  the  Lutheran  Church  had  then 
scarcely  begun.  He  preached  few  doctrinal  ser- 
mons. Dr.  Bach  man's  spirit  was,  eminently  pro- 
gressive. This  is  apparent,  when  we  remember  the 
part  he  took  in  the  formation  of  the  Southern  Gene- 
ral Synod  of  to-day,  whose  unmistakable  tendency 
from  its  infancy  was  toward  confessional,  historical 
Lutheran  ism.  * 

We  can  never  forget  his  eager  desire  for  the  pub- 
lication of  the  Southern  Book  of  Worship — a  ritual 
thoroughly  Lutheran  in  character.  We  remember 
his  joy  when  his  congregation  willingly  adopted  the 
new  book,  in  place  of  the  old  New  York  "  Hymns 
and  Liturgy."  Many  can  recall,  his  earnest,  per- 

*City  of  Charleston  Year  Book,  Edward  T.  Horn,  D.  D. 


350  John  Eachman. 

suasive  words,  recommending  its  adoption  by  the 
whole  Southern  Church. 

In  his  old  age,  perhaps,  the  strongest  desire  of  his 
heart,  was  that  all  English-speaking  Lutherans 
should  have  a  Common  Service.  We  find  him  sug- 
gesting and  urging  the  same,  and  when  prevented 
by  age  and  feebleness  from  attending  the  General 
Synod  that  met  at  Winchester,  Va.,  in  1870,  ex- 
pressing to  his  brethren,  by  letter,  the  burden  of  his 
heart's  desire — uniformity  in  Books  of  Worship — in 
other  words,  a  Common  Service  for  the  whole 
Church. 

The  Pastor  of  St.  John's  was  broad  in  his  Christian 
charity.  Dr.  Summers  records :  "  When  in  Eng- 
land, Dr.  Bachman  visited  the  Oxford  divines, 
Pusey,  Newman,  and  others,  and,  on  his  return, 
spoke  of  them  as  learned,  well-meaning,  though 
misguided  men." 

His  Lutheranism  was  sturdy  and  uncompromis- 
ing. The  anxious  bench,  etc.,  found  no  favor  in  his 
eyes.  On  one  occasion  when  a  revival  of  religion 
stirred  the  hearts  of  the  community  of  Charleston, 
Dr.  Bachman  decided  to  open  his  Church  for  a  short, 
daily  service.  He  asked  no  assistance  from  his 
brother  ministers.  The  services  were  continued  for 
a  week  ;  the  attendance  was  large ;  but  there  was  no 
undue  excitement.  Before  the  close  of  the  week,  a 
few  over-zealous  members  suggested  a  mourner's 
bench,  but  Dr.  Bachman  declined  to  comply,  on  the 
ground  that  such  an  institution  would  not  be  in  ac- 
cordance with  Lutheran  teaching  and  usage,  which 


Newberry  College.  351 

relied  on  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism,  catechetical  in- 
struction, the  rite  of  Confirmation  and  the  Holy 
Communion  as  all-sufficient.  He  mildly  suggested 
that  if  his  friends  considered  a  different  mode  of  ad- 
ministration absolutely  necessary,  they  must  seek 
it  in  another  communion.  A  few,  following  hia 
suggestion,  united  with  another  denomination,  where 
the  "  anxious  bench  "  was  in  use.  When  the  hus- 
band of  a  valued  member  of  his  congregation,  who 
had  not  been  baptized  hx  his  infancy,  desired  to  re- 
ceive at  his  hands  baptism  by  immersion,  saying 
that  the  mode  by  sprinkling  did  not  meet  his  views, 
Dr.  Bachman,  on  the  same  ground,  advised  him  to 
unite  with  the  Baptists — which  he  did ;  but  often 
accompanied  his  wife  to  the  Lutheran  Church. 

From  1858  to  1861,  we  find  many  letters  in  the 
handwriting  of  Dr.  Bachman  addressed  to  J.  A. 
Brown,  D.  D.,  of  Reading,  Pa. 

In  1858,  Theophilus  Stork,  D.  D.,  was  elected 
President  of  Ne^vberry  College,  S.  C.,  and  J.  A. 
Brown,  D:  D.,  Professor  of  Theology.  Both  responded 
favorably  and  were  duly  installed  in  1859. 

The  Inaugural  Addresses  of  the  President  and  the 
Professor  of  Theology  were  greatly  admired,  and 
ordered  by  Synod  to  be  published. 

To  DR.  BROWN  : 

DECEMBER  23rd,  1859. 

"  I  corrected,  last  evening,  the  revised  sheets  of 
your  Address,  which  I  consider  very  excellent,  and 


352  John  Bachman. 

creditable  to  your  learning  and  abilities.  I  regret 
much  that  Dr.  Stork  would  not  consent  to  have  his 
printed. 

Cannot  you.  come  for  a  week  to  see  us  all?  It 
would  be  most  gratifying  to  me  and  my  family.  I 
should  like  to  have  the  College  and  the  Professors 
represented  here,  and  it  would  be  a  benefit  to  our 
institutions. 

Affectionate  remembrance  to  Mrs.  JB.  and  the 
children.  *  * 

CHARLESTON,  January,  1860. 

I  returned,  last  evening,  from  a  short  excursion 
into  the  country,  where  the  Doctor  supposed  I  would 
find  better  physic  than  the  nostrums  in  his  shop. 
The  change  has  benefited  me,  and  I  have  no  longer 
fevers  at  night,  and  only  occasional  paroxysms  of 
coughing. 

I  found  your  obliging  letter  waiting  for  me.  I  feel 
sensibly  your  willingness  to  come  to  my  assistance 
during  my  indisposition ;  but  I  am  once  more  able, 
as  far  as  poor  preaching  is  concerned,  to  attend  to 
my  own  duties.  I  shall  have  my  hands  full  on 
Sunday  next  (Communion  day).  The  College  lies 
heaviest  on  my  mind.  I  have  not,  however,  the 
slightest  idea  of  failure — we  must  all  work  and 
hope.  I  am  willing  even  to  enter  the  field  myself. 

For  months  past  I  have  been  greatly  troubled 
about  our  political  embarrassments. 

In  other  days  I  was  a  Union  man.  I  am  so  still ; 
but  I  go  with  those  who  insist  on  the  rights  guaran- 
teed to  us  by  the  Constitution.  Recently,  several  con- 
servative politicians  have  visited  Charleston.  I  have 
not  met  with  them,  for  I  avoid  caucuses ;  but  I  hear 
that  they  feel  convinced  that  there  will  be  no  dis- 
solution of  the  Union — I  trust  that  it  may  be  so.  I 


Newberry  College.  353 

have  an  abiding  faith  in  that  kind  Providence  that 
governs  nations,  as  well  as  individuals. 

When  you  can  be  spared  to  come  and  help  us  to 
procure  funds,  send  me  a  line,  and  I  shall  meet  you 
at  the  station.  *  *  * 

The  College  flourished.  $4,400  were  subscribed 
for  scholarships.  Dr.  Bach  man  wrote  rejoicingly, 
'*  students  are  still  flocking  in," 

In  1860,  Dr.  Stork  resigned  the  Presidency  of 
Newberry  College,  and  Dr.  Brown  was  elected  his 
successor.  In  1861,  Dr.  Brown  also  resigned. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WAR. 

COLORED  CONGREGATION — HIS  DEFENCE — OLD   PLENTY — BOSTON 

DRAYTON — BISHOP  PAYNE — JEHU  JONES— SERMON  ON  DUTY 
OP  THE  CHRISTIAN  TO  HIS  COUNTRY — THE  ORDINANCE  OP 
SECESSION — LETTER  TO  EDMUND  RUFFIN— TAKES  HOSTITAL 
STORES  TO  VIRGINIA — A  COMFORTER  TO  HIS  GRANDSON — 
MEASLES  —  UNEXPECTED  VISITORS  —  BREAD  CAST  ON  THE 
WATERS — FOUND  INSENSIBLE— ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH  CLOSED. 

IN  1860,  Dr.  Bachman's  pastorate  in  Charleston 
had  extended  over  forty-five  years,  and  the  con- 
gregation under  his  charge  was  at  the  zenith  of  its 
prosperity. 

The  Minutes  for  that  year  record  560  communi- 
cants—370  white  and  190  black. 

Sunday-school  for  the  whites :  Teachers,  20  ; 
pupils,  120. 

For  the  blacks  :     Teachers,  32  ;  pupils,  150. 

The  two-story  lecture-room,  built  in  1831,  was 
especially  adapted  for  the  use  of  two  schools.  The 
upper  story  was  occupied  by  the  white  school,  and 
the  basement  by  the  colored. 

Dr.  Bachman's  laborious  and  successful  work 
among  the  negroes  of  his  adopted  city  has  been, 
perhaps,  overlooked  or  overshadowed  by  his  achieve- 
ments in  other  directions. 

In   this  field    his    power  as  an   organizer,  was 


Work  for  the  Colored  People.  355 

brought  into  full  play.  He  selected  his  "  Leaders  " 
from  the  most  intelligent  and  reliable  of  those 
whom  he  had  carefully  instructed — some  of  these 
were  freed  men.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  leaders  to 
visit  the  sick  and  report  to  the  Pastor  such  cases  as 
needed  his  special  care.  They  generally  performed 
also  the  burial  services  for  the  dead  of  their  own 
race.  The  leaders  settled  all  disputes ;  but  if  their 
decision  was  not  accepted,  the  case  was  brought 
before  the  Pastor.  On  the  appointed  evening,  the 
Pastor's  study  was  the  little  Court-room,  and  he  the 
Judge  supreme.  His  quick  apprehension  of  the 
points  at  issue,  arid  his  wise  and  humane  decisions, 
gave  him  a  singular  power  over  the  simple  minds 
and  hearts  of  the  negro,  and  his  decisions  were 
reverently  received  as  just  and  final.  Their  grateful 
devotion  to  him  for  his  unwearied  care  and  kind- 
ness was  almost  unbounded. 

In  1816,  at  his  request,  the  North  Gallery  of  St. 
John's  Church  was  appropriated  to  his  colored  flock. 

Never  was  there  a  more  orderly  congregation.  On 
Communion  Sundays  the  whites  received  the  Sacra- 
ment first,  and  then  the  blacks.  The  physical  labor 
of  administering  to  such  numbers  at  length  became 
so  great  and  exhausting  to  his  strength,  that  the 
Vestry  suggested  that  the  Church  should  be  closed 
for  the  whites  on  the  afternoons  of  Communion 
Sundays,  in  order  that  he  might  devote  these  after- 
noons entirely  to  his  colored  congregation. 

Some  of  the  whites  were  present  on  these  occa- 
sions. At  the  request  of  the  leaders  the  services  of 


356  John  Bachman. 

the  organist  were  dispensed  with,  and  the  band, 
standing  in  the  front  aisle,  led  the  singing.  There 
was  no  silent  tongue  in  the  congregation — no  bash- 
ful hesitancy,  the  full  voices  drowning  the  cracked 
notes  of  the  older  members.  A  singular  and  beau- 
tiful custom  prevailed  among  these  simple  worship- 
pers— they  reverently  bowed  after  receiving  the 
consecrated  bread  and  wine  from  the  hand  of  the 
Minister — doubtless  in  grateful  acknowledgment  of 
the  Saviour's  gift  of  Himself. 

Born  and  educated  while  New  York  was  still  a 
slave-holding  State;  removing  to  the  South  in 
early  manhood,  and  faithfully  laboring  there  for  the 
temporal  and  spiritual  advancement  of  the  negro,  it 
was  not  strange  that  he  should  not  have  been  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  pronounced  abolitionist.  Lydia,  his 
father's  slave,  in  accordance  with  her  own  desire  had 
followed  him  to  Charleston,  and  nursed  his  children. 
When  slavery  was  abolished  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  he  tells  us,  he  offered  her  freedom ;  but  she 
preferred  to  remain  in  his  service.  Her  two  sons  he 
apprenticed  to  trades  that  they  might  earn  their  own 
support. 

When  the  property  of  Mrs.  Bach  man's  mother, 
Mrs.  Martin,  was  divided  among  her  children,  the 
slaves,  according  to  custom,  selected  their  owners  in 
the  family.  One  of  these,  Plenty,  entreated  Dr. 
Bachman  to  take  him.  Now  Plenty,  although 
honest  and  industrious  when  sober,  sometimes  in- 
dulged too  freely  in  whiskey.  He  urged ;  "  Tek  me 
Massa  Bachman.  I'll  plant  and  tek  good  ca'  ob  de 


Old  Plenty.  357 

ga'den."  "  Yes,  Plenty,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  I  don't 
doubt  that  you  will  do  your  best  for  us  when  you 
are  sober ;  but  when  you  are  getting  over  a  spree, 
you  will  be  likely  to  cut  up  your  plants  faster  than 
you  raised  them."  Plenty  still  promised  and  plead- 
ed, and  finally  was  installed  as  head  gardener.  Alas 
for  human  strength !  With  better  intentions,  perhaps, 
than  moved  the  breast  of  the  renowned  "  Tarn  0J 
Shanter,"  poor  Plenty  occasionally  had  a  sad  fall, 
succeeded  by  renewed  promises  of  amendment. 
Thus  the  years  rolled  on  and  the  habit  strengthened, 
until,  at  length,  the  poor  old  fellow  writhed  under  a 
genuine  attack  of  Mania  a  potu. 

On  his  recovery,  he  came  rushing  into  the  Doctor 's 
study  as  if  fiends  were  pursuing  him.  Trembling, 
he  stammered  out,  •'  Massa  Bach  man,  Plenty  nebber, 
nebber  drink  one  drap  moe."  "  Ah,  Plenty,  I  wish 
that  I  could  believe  that!"  Then  the  poor  old  man, 
with  many  tears,  graphically  described  what  he  call- 
ed "  me  dreamt  The  devil,  he  asserted,  had  appeared 
to  him — he  knew  him  "  by  de  horns  and  de  tail," 
and  told  him  that  "  drunken  ole  Plenty  was  his 
sure,  and  he  would  put  him  in  de  big  fire  in  de  bad 
place."  His  faithful  Father  Confessor,  further  deep- 
ened these  wholesome  lears  by  quoting  St.  Paul's 
words,  "  Neither  idolaters  nor  drunkards  shall  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God"  Shaking  with  fear,  he  cried 
out,  "  De  debbil  nebber,  nebber  shal  git  ole  Plenty." 

Perhaps,  after  all  his  terrors  and  his  deep  peni- 
tence, an  angel  whispered  words  of  hope  and  peace 
to  the  terror-stricken  soul.  He  never  could  be 


358  John  Bachman. 

brought  to  believe  his  master's  version  of  "  de 
dream,"  viz,  that  the  frightful  vision  was  the  effect 
of  drink.  At  any  rate,  we  feel  assured  that  Plenty 
disappointed  the  expectations  of  his  "  majesty  with 
horns."  From  that  day  the  old  negro  sacredly 
kept  his  promise  to  God,  for  he  drank  henceforth 
nothing  stronger  than  coffee,  or  a  mild  decoction 
from  the  sassafras  root,  sweetened  with  molasses,  a 
favorite  drink  in  those  days,  called  "  sassafras  beer." 
Dr.  Bachman's  well  cultivated  vegetable  garden 
gave  abundant  proof  of  old  Plenty's  faithfulness ; 
and  when  he  died  years  later,  in  great  peace,  due 
honors  were  paid  to  his  memory,  by  "  de  witefamly" 
as  he  called  them,  and  by  his  own  race. 

As  early  as  1S37,  we  find  Dr.  Bachman,  justly 
pained  by  the  misrepresentations  of  a  part  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  in  the  North. 

To  REV.  J.  D. 

I  have  heard  with  regret  of  your  remarks  before 
the  Hartwick  Synod,  with  regard  to  your  Southern 
brethren.  That  part  of  your  Constitution,  that  ex- 
cludes the  slave-holder  from  your  communion,  has 
been  sent  to  me ;  and  as  you  have  no  slave-holders 
with  you,  it  would  appear  that  you  have  travelled 
out  of  the  way  to  denounce  the  acts  of  your  breth- 
ren that  are  far  removed. 

Having  always  been  an  advocate  for  unrestrained 
freedom  of  thought  as  well  as  liberty  of  speech,  I 
felt  no  disposition  to  prevent  you  from  expressing 
your  honest  convictions.  As  your  charges,  even  if 
true,  could  not  operate  unfavorably  to  my  useful- 


Defence  against  Calumny.  359 

ness  in  this  community — beyond  which  I  am  little 
known  ;  and,  as  no  defence  of  mine  would  be  likely 
to  be  of  any  avail,  I  was  content  to  sit  quietly  under 
the  imputations,  which  a  brother  of  my  own  faith 
had  seen  fit  to  cast  upon  me,  believing  that  the  prov- 
idence of  God  would  not  permit  His  Church  to  sus- 
tain an  injury  from  the  imperfections  of  its  min- 
isters. r. 

I  have  lately  been  held  up  in  bold  relief  as  "  one 
who  luxuriated  from  the  sweat  and  blood  of  the 
slave."  My  wife  brought  into  my  family  four  of 
her  domestics,  who  were  attached  to  her  from  in- 
fancy ;  they  are  her  private  property,  are  still  with 
us,  and  are,  without  exception,  communicants  of  the 
Church.  *  *  *  * 

I  am  fully  sensible  that  you  believed  what,  under 
excited  feelings,  you  have"  published.  The  charge 
of  cruelty  and  luxury,  I  think,  ought  to  have  been 
withheld,  as  I  hope  that  I  do  not  indulge  in  either. 
I  have  labored  hard,  and  I  hope  not  without  suc- 
cess, to  build  up  our  Church  in  the  Southern  States. 
I  preach  three  times  every  Sunday,  and  once  in  the 
week.  I  attend  to  two  Sunday-schools  and  a  Bible- 
class.  My  people,  at  least,  will  neither  accuse  me  of 
idleness,  nor  luxury. 

In  Dr.  Bachman's  Synodical  address,  in  1845,  he 
reports  to  the  Synod  of  South  Carolina,  as  follows : 

An  application  was  recently  made  to  me  by  Bos- 
ton Drayton,  a  colored  member  of  the  English 
Lutheran  Church  of  Charleston  (St.  John's),  for 
permission  to  go  to  Africa  as  a  missionary  of  our 
Church.  He  had,  for  some  time,  been  an  efficient 
leader  among  the  colored  people  of  said  congrega- 
tion. His  natural  talents  were  respectable,  and  his 
education  considerably  above  that  of  persons  of  his 


360  John  Bachman. 

class.  I  had  no  reason  to  doubt  of  his  piety.  The 
vessel  in  which  he  was  to  sail,  was  to  leave  before 
the  meeting  of  the  Synod.  I  felt  it  my  duty,  as 
President  of  the  Synod,  to  give  him  such  credentials 
as  would  render  him  useful  among  the  benighted 
nations  in  the  land  of  his  forefathers.  How  far  this 
mission,  voluntarily  undertaken  by  an  individual, 
and  supported,  in  a  great  measure,  by  the  people  of 
his  own  color,  will  be  productive  of  good,  must  be 
left  to  Him  who  is  the  ruler  of  nations,  and  who  is 
able  to  convert  even  the  most  untoward  events  into 
the  instruments  of  great  and  abiding  mercy.  We 
are  greatly  indebted  to  the  Rev.  Benj.  Kurtz,  and  to 
several  of  our  Northern  friends,  especially  to  the 
former,  for  their  kindness  to  this  young  and  inex- 
perienced missionary,  and  for  their  advice  and  pecu- 
niary aid. 

Dr.  Morris  tells  us  *  : 

"  Bishop  Payne  (colored),  now  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  was  reared  a  Lutheran  by  Dr.  Bachman,  of 
Charleston,  and  studied  for  awhile  at  Gettysburg ; 
but  there  was  no  field  among  us,  and  he  was  advised 
to  go  to  the  Methodists,  among  whom  he  has  become 
quite  distinguish ed." 

We  find  many  letters  from  and  with  regard  to 
Rev.  Jehu  Jones,  also  from  Dr.  Bach  man's  colored 
congregation.  He  had  been  a  very  useful  man  in 
his  Church  as  a  leader,  and  might  have  been  so  as  a 
preacher  at  home,  where  the  negro  character  and 
pecularities  were  understood  ;  but  he  desired  to  go 
North.  He  went  and  made  an  effort  to  raise  a  con- 
gregation in  Philadelphia,  but  failed.  Dr.  Morris 

*  Fifty  years  in  the  Lutheran  Ministry. 


Christian  Patriotism.  361 

says  "  He  was  rather  notorious  there."  In  his  let-ters 
he  entreats  to  be  permitted  to  return  to  Charleston, 
and  that  Dr.  Bach  man  would  get  up  a  petition  for 
the  same — this  was  done,  but  without  success. 

We  lose  sight  of  Rev.  Jehu  Jones ;  he  probably 
left  the  ministry. 

November,  1 860,  Dr.  Bachman  preached  a  sermon 
on 

The  Duty  of  a  Christian  to  his  Country. 

One  who  was  present  on  the  occasion  wrote: 

"  Dr.  Bachman,  of  course,  avoided  the  political 
questions  of  the  day  as  much  as  possible.  At  a  time 
when  Secession  seemed  inevitable  he  enjoined  upon 
his  people  firmness,  decision  and  moderation.  He 
gave  excellent  advice  to  the  young  men,  and  ad- 
dressed our  colored  brethren  also.  The  appeal  was 
solemn,  impressive  and  eloquent.  The  day  was 
bright  and  beautiful ;  the  congregation  unusually 
large,  and,  by  a  singular  coincidence,  the  Citadel 
Cadets  were  present.  I  never  saw  a  more  interested 
or  attentive  congregation." 

Fragments  of  this  sermon  have  been  preserved. 
We  give  a  few  extracts  : 

Psalm  cxxxvii  :  5 — If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem  i 

Brethren,  I  am  about  to  address  you  on  the  "  Love 
of  Country,"  which,  next  to  the  love  of  God,  is  the 
most  sacred  duty  that  the  God  of  nations  has  en- 
joined upon  man.  *  *  * 

In  spite  of  the  prostitution  of  the  venerable  name 
of  patriotism,  there  is  and  ever  shall  be,  a  Christian 


362  John  Bachman. 

patriotism — a  great    system  of  duties  which   man 
owes  to  his  home,  his  people  and  his  State,  etc. 

If  our  rights  had  been  protected  in  the  Union,  wo 
would  not  desire  a  political  change — the  sound  is, 
even  at  this  moment,  mournful  to  my  mind.  I  was 
born  but  two  years  after  the  Union  and  may  yet 
outlive  it.  Our  fore-fathers  in  Convention  entered 
into  a  solemn  compact  for  mutual  defence  and  pro- 
tection. On  the  part  of  the  majority,  these  pledges 
have  been  violated,  and  a  higher  law  than  the  Con- 
stitution substituted. 

According  to  the  principles  of  our  Constitution, 
the  impending  Secession  should  be  unattended  by  a 
resort  to  arms.  It  is  better,  like  Abraham  and  Lot, 
to  separate  when  we  can  no  longer  live  together  in 
peace.  Our  State  is  preparing  for  a  peaceful  sepa- 
ration. I  shall,  as  in  duty  bound,  until  then,  pray 
for  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  for  God's 
blessing  on  the  deliberations  of  Congress. 

Young  men,  let  me  offer  you  a  few  words  of 
fatherly  advice.  We  are  linked  together  for  peace 
or  war*;  for  plenty  or  want ;  for  glory  or  shame.  I 
have  not  a  shadow  of  doubt  of  jour  courage;  I 
would  place  my  life  in  your  hands  in  the  midst  of  a 
host  of  enemies. — But  any  act  of  rashness  on  our 
part,  would  place  us  in  the  wrong.  Act  not  without 
authority.  Remember  courage  consists  in  obedience 
and  prudence,  as  well  as  loyalty  and  firmness.' 
Above  all,  act  only  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God. 

Ever  bear  in  mind  that  among  the  duties  you 
owe  to  your  country,  is  your  daily  good  example. 
In  the  political  meetings  that  you  may  be  called 
upon  to  attend,  you  are  not  to  indulge  in  the  bowl 
of  intemperance,  in  angry  and  revengeful  passions, 
or  neglect  of  the  duties  "you  owe  to  your  own  dear 
families.  We  feel  and  know  that  our  cause  is  just 
and  righteous ;  but  political  changes  are  often  times 


The  Beginning  of  the  War.  .  36S 

of  licentiousness  and  immorality.  How  awful 
would  be  the  visitations  of  heaven,  if  our  youth 
should  become  corrupt  and  careless  ! 

When  the  people  of  South  Carolina  in  Convention, 
December,  1860,  passed  the  Ordinance  of  Secession, 
they  selected  Dr.  Bach  man  to  offer  the  prayer  at  the 
opening.  * 

With  the  majority  of  the  South  he  still  cherished 
the  hope  of  a  peaceful  separation — vain  hope. 

The  tide  of  war  soon  flooded  the  land,  bringing  to 
the  South  poverty  and  desolation,  tears  and  death. 
Brave  and  tender-hearted  as  a  "  Soldier  of  the 
Cross,"  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's  strove  to  perform  his 
part. 

In  the  words  of  another  : 

"  Dr.  Bachman  found  employment  in  the  hos- 
pitals, but  did  not  intermit  his  care  of  the  scattered 
flock.  The  legends  tell  of  the  welcome  visit  of  the 
beloved  pastor  to  close  the  eyes  of  an  aged  saint  at 
Columbia,  or  in  the  little  church  in  that  city  to  con- 
firm some  of  his  young  people ;  of  a  doubly  solemn 
Confirmation  and  administration  of  the  Holy  Sup- 
per in  an  upper  room  at  Spartanburg;  of  Baptism, 
under  a  great  oak  at  Mar's  Bluff."* 

To  EDMUND  RUFFIN,  ESQ.,  OF  VIRGINIA,    two  of 
whose  sons  had  been  killed  in  battle. 

CHARLESTON,  Nov.  22nd,  1862. 

My  Dear  Friend :  Yours  of  the  17th  instant  was 
received  this  morning ;  although  it  is  Saturday — my 
most  busy  day,  I  must  answer  it  at  once,  lest  I 

^Charleston  Year  Book,  Edward  T.  Horn,  D.  D. 


364  John  Bachman. 

should,  by  incessant  calls,  be  prevented  from  at- 
tending, as  early  as  I  desire,  to  this  duty  and  sad 
privilege. 

Although  the  sympathy  of  your  friend  cannot 
benefit  you,  yet  it  will  show  you  that  you  are  re- 
membered with  respect  and  veneration,  and  that  he 
feels  your  misfortunes  as  a  blow  on  his  own  heart. 
I  pray  God  to  mitigate  your  sufferings  and  to  bring 
back  peace  and  prosperity  to  our  distracted  and 
bleeding  country. 

My  family  have  been  in  Columbia  all  the  Sum- 
mer. My  daughters  would  long  since  have  re- 
turned home  to  keep  house  for  me ;  but  I  am  un- 
willing to  have  them  leave  their  mother,  whose 
health  is  feeble  and  unequal  to  the  sole  charge  of 
my  four  little  granddaughters.  My  grandson, 
John  Bachman  (Haskell)  joined  a  military  company 
during  the  vacation,  and  was  doing  "  guard  duty  " 
on  the  city  wharves  to  protect  the  supplies,  etc., 
daily  sent  to  Fort  Surnter.  The  exposure  proved  to 
be  too  great  for  his  youth — sixteen  years.  On  his 
return  to  College  he  was  seized  with  what  was  sup- 
posed to  be  rheumatism,  but  which  proved  to  be  a 
disease  of  the  hip-joint,  which  we  fear  is  incurable. 
We  sent  him  to  the  Springs  in  Florida  ;  but  he  has 
returned  not  much  improved.  He  is  more  cheerful 
however,  and  is  able  to  walk  a  little  on  crutches. 

Nine-tenths  of  my  congregation  have  removed 
their  families  into  various  parts  of  the  country,  and 
the  men  are  in  the  army.  I  inquired  of  my  own 
mind  what  more  I  was  capable  of  doing  at  my 
advanced  period  of  life — seventy-three  years.  I 
decided  to  begin  my  labors  in  the  hospitals  of 
Charleston.  During  this  Summer  I  have  spent  seven 
hours  daily  among  the  sick  and  wounded.  I  became 
an  agent  for  receiving  and  distributing  funds,  food, 
etc.,  contributed  for  the  support  of  the  hospitals. 


In  Virginia.  365 

I  am  personally  interested  in  the  Army  of  Vir- 
ginia. I  signified  my  willingness  to  receive  contri- 
butions for  the  hospitals  there,  and  finally  resolved 
to  take  on  the  car-load  of  provisions  and  clothing  that 
I  had  collected.  I  left  for  Virginia,  accompanied 
by  two  ladies  who  were  in  search  of  a  wounded 
son  and  a  nephew.  My  cargo  was  perishable,  and 
we  hurried  on  to  Staunton.  Here,  my  cargo  was 
distributed  to  the  various  hospitals  between  that 
point  and  Winchester. 

I  inquired  for  you  in  Richmond,  but  no  one  could 
tell  me  exactly  where  you  were  to  be  found,  and  we 
were  in  haste.  My  companions  were  hurrying  on 
to  find  their  wounded  relatives.  One,  we  learned,  had 
died  on  the  battle-field,  of  the  other  there  is  hope  of 
recovery.  I  was  equally  hurried  on  my  return,  and 
regretted  that  I  could  not  stop  to  find  you. 

I  saw  my  son  William,  who  commands  the  German 
Artillery  of  Charleston,  and  has  passed  unscathed 
through  nearly  all  the  terrible  battles  fought  in 
Virginia.  Amid  the  blood  and  carnage  around  him, 
he  seems  to  have  led  a  charmed  life.  He  has  been 
away  from  us  for  eighteen  months,  and  amid  our 
anxieties  for  his  safety,  I  am  cheered  with  the  be- 
lief that  my  beloved  son  is  discharging  his  duty  to 
his  country.  His  wife  has  engaged  the  looms  and 
spinning  wheels  of  the  sand-hillers  around  Columbia, 
and  she  has  a  loom  of  her  own,  and  is  often  at  the 
fly  shuttle  herself. 

One  of  my  son's  lieutenants,  Rudolph  Siegling, 
was  struck  by  the  fragments  of  a  shell  and  pro- 
nounced mortally  wounded.  The  army  was  ordered 
to  cross  the  Potomac  into  Maryland ;  my  son  re- 
mained that  night  with  his  wounded  lieutenant,  and, 
before  joining  his  command,  ordered  a  coffin  to  be 
made  for  him.  Siegling  has  however,  almost  mirac- 
ulously recovered ;  he  was  brought  home,  and  I 
16 


f>r>6  John  Bachman. 

saw  him  to-day  on  crutches  walking  about.  The 
young  man  is  both  brave  and  talented.  He  is  one 
of  the  few  men  who  has  read  his  own  obituary.  *  * 
My  friend,  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Davis  of  Staunton,  Vir- 
ginia, is  with  me.  Two  days  hence  he  is  to  take  on 
for  me  another  car-load  of  arm}*  supplies,  then  I 
shall  be  alone  again,  and  it  would  be  a  charity  for 
you  to  come  and  keep  my  company — for  here  I  am, 
"  Monarch  of  all  I  survey  " — come  to  me. 

Dr.  Bachman,  in  all  his  letters  of  this  date,  alludes 
to  the  prolonged  illness  of  his  grandson,  John  I  Fas- 
kell,  which  resulted  in  lameness  for  life.  During 
these  years  of  extreme  suffering,  the  bond  of  affec- 
tion between  himself  arid  grandson  was  daily  more 
firmly  riveted.  His  quick  eye  saw  that  the  soul,  as 
well  as  the  body  of  the  young  sufferer,  needed  to  be 
healed.  Many  times  during  the  day  he  passed 
through  the  little  gate  that  led  from  his  vegetable 
garden  into  his  son-in-law's  yard.  Eagerly  the  sick 
boy  watched  for  his  coming.  "  No  one/'  he  said 
afterwards,  "  was  ever  able  to  draw  me  out  of  my- 
self and  my  sufferings,  as  grandfather  did." 

During  the  Spring  of  1862,  the  hospitals  in 
Charleston,  were  crowded  to  overflowing.  Measles 
had  broken  out  among  the  soldiers  on  the  coast. 
One  day  Dr.  Bachman  announced  to  his  family,  that 
on  his  rounds  in  the  hospitals  he  had  found  two 
young  men  from  the  up-country,  whose  parents 
were  not  unknown  to  him,  ill  with  measles.  He  had 
promised  that,  if  possible,  they  should  be  nursed  in 
his  own  home.  At  the  moment  he  had  not  remem- 
bered his  little  grandchildren.  In  this  dilemma, 


,SY.  John's  Closed  367 

Mrs.  Bachman  suggested  that  the  basement  "  paint- 
ing-room "  should  be  used  as  a  chamber.  In  this 
room  Audubon  had  painted  many  of  the  <l  Birds  of 
North  America,"  and  here  the  stuffed  specimens  of 
animals  had  been  kept,  while  Dr.  Bachman  wrote 
the  letter-press  of  the  Quadrupeds  of  North  America. 
The  specimens  had  long  since  been  presented  to  the 
Charleston  Museum.  The  room  was  empty  and 
the  simple  preparations  for  the  comfort  of  the  sick 
were  soon  made. 

With  careful  nursing  both  the  young  men  recov- 
ered, arid  the  children  did  not  contract  the  measles. 

The  Banks  of  Charleston  were,  for  safety,  removed 
from  the  city.  St.  John's  Church,  had  been  closed 
for  many  months.  A  shell  had  passed  through  the 
building  and  injured  the  organ ;  and  some  of  the 
grave-stones  were  mutilated.  One  of  the  Vestry,  Mr. 
Frederick  C.  Blum,  remained  at  his  Pastor's  side, 
and  took  charge  of  the  church  edifice  and  the 
grounds. 

On  the  12th  of  May,  Dr.  Bachman  accompanied 
his  family  to  Columbia.  Leaving  the  latter  in  the 
hospitable  home  of  Dr.  Edward  Fisher,  he  returned 
to  his  post  of  duty  in  Charleston. 

He  paid  occasional  visits  to  Columbia,  and  fre- 
quently remained  over  Sunday  preaching  in  Eben- 
ezer  Church,  Columbia,  or  at  some  point  near  by. 

In  one  of  his  daily  letters  to  his  family  he  gave  a 
little  episode. 

Seated  alone  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  the  street 
door  bell  rang,  and  his  trusty  old  servant,  Tonyy 


368  John  Bachman. 

announced  that  a  dozen  or  more  old  men  and 
women — some  with  babies  in  their  arms — asked  to 
see  "  the  Minister."  He  went  out  to  them — they 
wanted  a  night's  lodging.  They  were  the  fathers 
and  wives  of  soldiers  on  duty  on  some  of  the  Islands 
near  Charleston.  The  train  that  brought  them  to 
the  city  had  been  delayed,  and  when  they  reached 
the  wharf,  to  their  dismay,  the  last  Island  boat  had 
already  started.  The  tired  company  were  pro- 
visioned, but  had  not  money  enough  to  pay  for  a 
night's  lodging  in  the  city.  Quick  at  expedients, 
Dr.  Bachman  took  them  all  in,  gave  the  women  with 
babies  the  only  comfortable  chamber  in  his  house — 
his  own — and  the  rest  were  easily  accommodated. 
The  Pastor  evening  and  morning  had  prayers  with 
the  pilgrims,  and  finally  saw  them  safely  on  the 
deck  of  the  little  Island  steamboat. 

On  the  3rd  of  July,  he  was  expected  in  Columbia, 
and  his  grandchildren  stood  watching  at  the  gate  for 
his  arrival.  They  had  been  questioning  if  the  ortho- 
dox Fourth  of  July  melon  would  appear  for  dessert 
next  da}\  It  was  early  for  melons  and  the  prices 
were  exorbitant.  The  elders,  therefore,  bade  the 
children  to  remember  the  cost  of  the  coveted  fruit, 
and  to  try  to  be  content  without  it.  When  their 
grandfather  drove  up  to  the  door,  there,  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  buggy,  lay  a  great  ripe  watermelon.  He 
had  met  a  countryman  selling  melons  ;  the  man 
recognized  him  as  his  entertainer  in  Charleston, 
and  presented  him  with  one  of  his  finest.  The 
children  shouted  with  delight !  "  Remember,"  said 


In  the  Hospitals.  369 

grandfather,  "this  is  bread  cast  upon  the  waters  that 
has  returned  to  us."  "  How  nice,"  cried  little  Minnie,, 
"that  it  cameback  to  us  a  watermelon,  and  not  bread. 'r 

In  the  Spring  of  1863,  yielding  to  the  solicitations 
of  his  family,  he  permitted  them  to  cheer  his  soli- 
tude in  Charleston,  from  May  until  July.  One  day 
in  July,  a  fragment  of  a  shell  passed  over  his  garden 
and  lodged  in  an  out-building  near  by.  Forthwith 
he  decided  that  his  family  should  again  take  refuge 
with  his  friends  in  Columbia. 

In  August,  after  a  laborious  day  in  the  hos- 
pitals, he  was  found  before  the  door  of  one  of 
his  parishioners,  lying  insensible  in  his  buggy — 
perhaps  his  sagacious  old  horse  had  stopped  there. 
He  was  carried  into  the  house,  and  tenderly  cared 
for.  In  haste  a  physician  was  summoned,  and  a 
telegram  sent  to  Columbia.  Mrs.  Bach  man  gathered 
strength  to  accompany  his  daughters  to  Charleston. 
Soon  he  recovered  sufficiently  to  be  removed  to  Co- 
lumbia. There  he  rallied  quickly,  and,  in  a  few 
weeks,  was  again  in  Charleston,  ministering  to  the 
sick  and  dying. 

In  December  of  this  year,  we  find  him  again,  for  a 
brief  season,  with  his  family  in  Columbia,  resting 
from  arduous  labors  and  rejoicing  in  the  happiness 
of  his  little  grandchildren.  As  usual,  at  the  children's 
festival,  Christmas  verses  were  prepared  for  the  oc- 
casion by  Mrs.  Bachman : 

"  Old  Santa  Claus,  a  merry  wight, 
Is  far  away  in  sorry  plight, 
Compelled  to  stay  in  Yankee  land, 
Because  his  wares  are  contraband  ; 


370  John  Bachman. 

He  tried  to  run  the  vile  blockade, 
And  many  desp'rate  efforts  made, 
But  all  in  vain,  and  now  he  stands, 
With  down-cast  eyes  and  empty  hand*. 
A  letter  then  he  thinks  he'll  write, 
And  send  it  to  his  friends  to-night, 
To  try  their  little  hearts  to  cheer, 
With  hope  for  better  time*  next  year  " 

The  letter  from  the  Saint  was  dated  : 

SKEDADDLE-TOWN,  Dec.  25th,  1862. 

"  I'm  very  sad  my  children  dear  ! 
And  on  this  sheet  drop  many  a  tear." 

The  childrens'  Saint  however,  showed  his  good 
will. 

"  I've  ask'd  my  friend,  a  fairy  sprite, 
To  cater  for  you  all  to-night ; 
She's  gentle,  active,  good  and  kind, 
And  will,  to  please  you,  be  inclined — 
I  hear  that  she's  been  looking  round, 
And  many  little  things  has  found, 
Some  toys,  I  think,  and  nick-nacks,  too, 
And  cakes  and  sweet  things  not  a  few. 
Be  merry  then,  my  children  dear, 
For  Christmas  comes  but  once  a  year  ; 
And  though  you  miss  your  foreign  toys, 
You've  friends  and  more  substantial  joys." 

Great  pains  and  ingenuity  had  been  exercised  to 
provide  these  trifles.  Besides  cloth-dolls,  etc.,  a 
cathedral,  with -a  steeple  made  of  pop-corn,  excited 
the  wonder  and  admiration  of  the  children. 


41  I'll  tell  you  what  the  fairy  said, 
'Twas  made  of  moonshine  in  a  night, 
And  though  it  looks  so  pure  and  white, 
Is  bound  with  spiders'  gluey  webs, 
Drawn  out  in  slender  subtle  threads." 


Christmas.  371 

Addressed  to  Eva : 

"  Do  you  believe  this  fairy  tale  ? 
Or  must  you  touch  the  fabric  frail  ? 
Take  care  !  you  know  you're  rather  rough, 
And  fairy-work  is  never  tough." 

All  were  remembered,  even  the  dog,  Mac,  was 
bountifully  provided  with  hoe-cake. 

"  But  where  is  Mac  ?    Pray  don't  forget 
Your  Uncle  Willie's  darling  pet, 
But  save  for  him,  a  right  good  slice 
Of  hoe-cake  and  of  all  that's  nice." 

The  home-loving  Pastor  of  St.  John's  took  part 
with  joy  in  this  family  festival  and  afterwards  these 
simple  rhymes  were  sadly  recalled  as  the  last  com- 
posed by  his  wife  for  the  amusement  of  his  grand- 
children. 

In  a  few  days  he  returned  to  his  lonely  labors  in 
Charleston. 

To  MRS.  J.  W.  E. 

CHARLESTON,  Sept.  8th,  1863. 

My  dear,  kind  Friend  :  I  seldom  go  as  far  into 
the  heart  of  the  city  as  your  residence.  The  Post- 
office  and  all  the  hospitals,  except  the  Marine,  hav- 
ing been  removed  up  town. 

I  trudge  on  foot  and  only  go  into  the  lower  part 
of  the  city  when  pressing  duties  urge,  and  therefore 
see  less  of  your  pleasant,  hospitable  home  than  I 
did  in  other  and  happier  days.  *  *  I  return 

home,  mourning  over  our  scattered  people.  But  let 
us  try  to  submit  to  our  lot — ordered  by  a  Wise 
Providence,  discharge  our  duty  under  all  circum- 
stances, and  look  to  that  Mighty  Deliverer,  who,  out 
of  seeming  ill,  is  yet  educing  good.  *  *  * 


372  John  Bachman. 

If  I  had  much  to  do,  when  you  left  me,  you 
would  pity  me  now,  for  my  labors  since  then  have 
more  than  doubled.  I  often  receive  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  letters  per  day,  and  more  than  one-third 
require  answers.  Many  of  my  people  are  in  afflic- 
tion, and  I  cannot  write  them  short  letters.  But 
somehow  God  prepares  me  for  my  burdens. 

I  am  glad  that  you  are  not  here  to  listen  to  this 
terrific  bombardment.  *  *  *  I  shall  not  murmur- 
even  if  Charleston  falls.  For  the  liberties  of  my 
country,  I  would  cheerfully  lay  down  even  my  life. 
Love  to  all  around  you. 

Your  devoted  friend  and  Pastor,  J.  B. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
DURING  THE    WAR. 

CHRISTMAS,  1863 — THE  CHILDREN'S  FESTIVAL — DEATH  OF  HIS 
WIFE — VISIT  TO  CONCORD — LETTERS— CHARLESTON  EVACUATED 
— HE  LEAVES  TOR  COLUMBIA — ENCOUNTERS  THE  FEDERAL 
ARMY  AT  CASH'S  STATION — CRUEL  TREATMENT — RETURN  TO 
CHARLESTON — ST.  JOHN'S  RE-OPENED — THE  CONGREGATION 
POOR  P.UT  UNITED — FEEBLENESS  AND  FAILING  EYESIGHT. 

pHRISTMAS  Eve,  1863,  Dr.  Bachman  joined  his 
\j  family  in  Columbia, 

On  Christmas  day  the  Churches  were  opened  as 
usual.  Sad-eyed  women  and  old  men  listened  gladly 
to  the  Gospel  appointed  for  the  day — the  message 
of  "good  tidings  of  great  joy."  But  a  heavy  weight 
was  resting  on  Southern  hearts  and  homes,  and  only 
the  children  exchanged  the  time-honored  greeting, 
"  Merry  Christmas." 

In  the  home,  a  little  table  was  spread,  adorned 
with  the  bright  berries  from  the  woods,  on  which 
was  placed  the  few  home-made  gifts  prepared  by 
weary  hands.  We  had  urged  Mrs.  Bachman  to 
write  her  usual  ihymes  for  the  children,  but  she 
could  not  be  induced  to  do  so. 

We  found  later  her  last  written  thoughts,  traced 
with  a  very  feeble  hand. 


374  John  Bachman. 


Man's  Only  Refuge. 

Infirm,  desponding  and  dismayed, 

My  faith  cast  down,  my  hope  grown  dim, 
I  seek  for  light ;  but  human  aid 

Can  shed  no  light  on  doubts  within. 
Around  my  path  dark  shadows  fall, 

And  gloomy  visions  crowd  my  way, 
While  clouds,  like  a  funereal  pall, 

Obscure  the  cheerful  light  of  day. 

When  foes  invade,  and  dread  alarms 

Are  pressing  sore  on  ev'ry  side, 
E'en  life  has  nearly  lost  its  charms 

As  war  rolls  on  its  crimson  tide. 
Where  shall  I  flee  ?    To  whom  apply 

Or  look  for  help  ?    To  God  alone  ! 
For  He  will  hear  my  humble  cry, 

And  raise  me  to  His  heav'nly  throne. 

God's  promises  were  freely  giv'u 

To  me,  as  to  the  saints  of  old, 
Then,  why  should  I  by  doubts  be  driv'n, 

Or  let  my  faith  and  hope  grow  cold  ? 
Oh  teach  me,  Lord,  to  watch  and  pray 

For  light  and  comfort  from  above; 
To  ask  for  faith's  illuming  ray, 

To  fill  me  with  a  Saviour's  love. 

This  can  alone  the  gloom  dispel, 

Which  darkens  life  at  this  sad  hour, 
And  break  the  with'ring  dreary  spell, 

Which  bends  me  down  with  magic  pow'r. 
In  ecstacy  of  faith  and  love, 

All  gloom  and  doubt  shall  flee  away, 
And  angels  welcome  me  above 

To  realms  of  everlasting  day.  M.  B. 

The  day  after  Christmas,  Sunday,  Dr.  Bachman 
was  expected  to  preach  in  Columbia,  at  Ebenezer 
Church. 

Soon  after  the  dawn  of  day,  he  summoned  a 
daughter  to  his  chamber,  saying  her  mother  had 
been  ill  during  the  night.  Without  disturbing  the 


.}frs.  Bachmaiis  Death.  375 

rest  of  the  family,  be  brought  the  Physician.  A 
simple  remedy  was  ordered,  Mrs.  Bachman,  in  a 
clear  voice,  directing  where  the  medicine  could  be 
found.  A  moment  afterwards  she  intimated  her 
impression  that  her  death  was  at  hand.  Before  we 
could  take  in  the  thought, 

"  Anyete  had  welcomed  her  above, 
To  realm 8  of  everlasting  day.'1'1 

Tuesday,  December  27th,  Dr.  Rude  performed 
the  last  sacred  rites,  and  preached  a  sermon  from 
the  words  of  the  Psalmist.  "  Predom  in  the  sight  of 
the  Lord  is  the  death  of  His  saints." 

And  was  not  she  one  of  these?  Her  cheerful- 
ness, her  gentleness,  her  kindness  I  shall  never  for- 
get. Precious  to  me  is  the  remembrance  of  the 
hours  spent  with  her.  She  carried  within  and  about 
her  so  much  of  heaven — the  impression  was  that 
you  held  converse  with  one,  who  had  learned  of 
Him — who  walked  with  him.  Our  last  conversa- 
tion witli  her — alas  that  it  was  the  last !  was  about 
the  soul's  condition  after  death.  Firm  was  her  con- 
viction that  pure,  unspotted  and  made  perfect,  it 
should  dwell  with  the  Saviour.  Now  she  knows, 
she  realizes  the  truth  of  the  Apostle's  declaration. 
"Eye  hath,  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  heart  conceived  the 
things,  which  God  hath, prepared  for  them  that  love  Him." 

u  Forget  her  not,  serve  as  she  served,  love  as  she 
loved,  live  as  she  lived,  that  your  life  may  be  as 
useful,  as  devoted  to  duty,  to  Church,  to  God — that 
your  last  hour  may  be  as  calm,  and  as  peaceful  as 
her's — for  without  a  pang,  without  a  struggle  her 
spirit  past  away,  and  her  fellow-pilgrim  knew  not 
whether  it  were  sleep  or  death.  * 


376  John  Bachman. 

For  you,  mourning  husband,  the  goal  is  not  far 
distant,  and  when  the  moment  of  your  departure 
cometh,  blessed  thought,  we  shall  again  say  : 
"Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  hi* 
saints. " 

In  God's  acre  adjoining  St.  John's  Church,  Charles- 
ton, where  her  kindred  slept,  Dr.  Bachman  could 
not  lay  his  beloved  wife  to  rest,  for  the  sounds  of 
war,  the  bursting  shell,  forbade  it.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  vestry  of  Ebenezer  Church,  Colum- 
bia met  and  tendered  him  for  his  dead  a  spot  in 
their  Church-yard,  and  there  they  reverently  laid 
her  body  to  await  the  resurrection  morn. 

When  Columbia  was  burned  in  1865,  Ebenezer 
Church  was  destroyed  by  fire ;  but  the  resting-place 
of  his  dead  was  not  disturbed. 

Now  at  her  side  sleeps  his  beloved  grandson,  the 
late  Rev.  John  Bachman  Haskell,  Pastor  of  Ebenezer 
Church. 

To  HIS  DAUGHTERS. 

CONCORD,  N.  C.,  Jan  1st,  1864. 

My  dear  Children — You  will  be  glad  to  know 
that  I  arrived  here  last  evening  safely,  without  de- 
tention or  accident.  The  rivers  were  very  much 
swollen.  I  stopped  a  night  with  Dr.  Horlbeck  at 
Winnsboro.  It  rained  in  torrents  all  next  day. 
This  morning  I  visited  my  poor  sick  and  afflicted 
patient.  She  is  still  very  beautiful,  though  she  is 
fast  losing  ground.  She  clings  to  me — I  shall  de- 
vote four  days  to  her.  May  God  sanctify  these 
labors  to  the  good  of  her  immortal  soul. 


A  Heavy  Heart.  377 

I  am  surrounded  by  dear  and  sympathizing 
friends,  who  do  every  thing  for  me  that  lies  in  their 
power ;  but  my  heart  is  sad  and  solitary.  I  am 
using  all  my  efforts  to  stem  the  torrent  of  a  grief 
that  unresisted  would  carry  me  almost  to  the  brink 
of  despair. 

Your  dear  mother  a  few  nights  previous  to  her 
death  said  to  me,  that  you  had  repaid  her  a  thou- 
sand times  over  for  all  her  attentions  to  you  in 
childhood.  To  me  you  have  ever  been  most  dutiful 
daughters;  I  could  not  wish  for  more  attention, 
obedience  and  affection  ;  yet  the  remnant  of  my 
life  must  be  solitary — it  cannot  be  otherwise — I  sub- 
mit to  God's  will.  I  shall  endeavor  to  live  for  my 
children  and  for  my  duties.  God  may  have  some- 
thing more  for  me  to  do,  if  it  be  only  to  suffer. 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

Love  to  all,  not  forgetting  the  little  folk, 

J.  B. 
To  MRS.  H.  M.  T. : 

CHARLESTON,  Feb.  1 7th. 

My  Bear  Emma  :  On  my  return  on  Saturday 
night,  after  an  absence  of  several  weeks,  I  found 
your  letter  of  the  2nd  instant,  together  with  about 
fifty  others  waiting  for  my  attention.  I  shall  notice 
your's  among  the  first. 

I  went  to  the  country  to  visit  the  sick  and  to  seek 
relief  from  my  heavy  trial — alas !  I  have  not  re- 
covered from  the  shock  !  My  two  homes  in  Charles- 
ton and  Columbia,  are  almost  insupportable  to  me, 
as  I  am  every  moment  reminded  of  my  irrepara- 
ble loss  and  desolate  state.  I  know  my  duty  well 
enough,  and  I  am  daily  praying  for  strength  to  bear 
my  loss  with  submission  to  Him,  who  orders  all 
things  in  wisdom.  I  feel  assured  that  He  will  not 
forsake  me,  but  will  be  with  me  during  the  short 
time  to  which  my  lonely  life  is  now  restricted. 


378  John  Bachman. 

I  was  absent  from  Charleston  three  weeks.  In  this 
time  I  returned  once,  and  remained  a  day,  in  order 
to  take  a  poor  young  friend  to  the  Asylum  in  Co- 
lumbia— she  had  consented  to  go,  provided  that  I 
went  with  her.  I  then  hastened  to  Camden,  Sumter, 
Cheraw,  Society  Hill,  Darlington,  Mar's  Bluff,  etc. 

I  went  in  part  to  stir  up  the  people  in  behalf  of 
our  hospitals,  and,  I  think,  have  been  successful. 
Next,  I  collected  our  people  together  in  groups  and 
administered  to  them  the  Communion — which  was 
very  comforting  to  all  of  us. 

I  occupy  and  try  to  direct  my  mind  by  attending 
to  many  duties,  visiting  many  persons  with  whom 
I  had  corresponded,  but  whom  I  had  never  seen. 
I  was  everywhere  treated  with  unbounded  and  un- 
merited attention. 

I  have  returned  to  Charleston  in  better  health  ; 
every  moment,  however,  reminds  me  of  the  penalty 
attached  to  a  long  life.  I  have  buried  my  early 
friends,  and  am  left  like  a  pelican  in  the  wilderness — 
but  I  will  not  distress  others  with  my  griefs — 
" Father,  not  my  ivUl,  but  Thine  be.  done" 

My  daughter  C.  has  been  quite  sick,  and  I  have 
written  to  her  that  if  she  desires  it,  I  shall  take  her 
next  week  to  her  sister  L 's,  in  Greenville. 

Bowman  has  gone  to  St.  Matthew's,  and  I  am  to 
preach  in  his  Church  on  Sunday  next. 

I  have  had  staying   with  me,  Mr.  M 11,  Mrs. 

S n,  Miss  H— - — s  ;  but,  alas !  I  am  no  com- 
pany for  them — my  heart  and  my  thoughts  are 
elsewhere. 

I  have  amused  myself  in  planting  my  garden.  I 
have  spinach,  salad,  celery,  turnips,  carrots,  ruta- 
baga, beets,  etc.,  on  table  every  day.  I  have  planted 
Irish  potatoes,  peas,  and  most  of  the  Spring  vege- 
tables. 

Smeltzer  left    me  last    evening.      Our   hospitals 


'[A  area  Charleston.  379 

have  greatly  improved.  I  hear  of  small-pox,  but 
cannot  find 'it.  There  have  been  a  few  deaths  from 
congestive  chills.  I  saw  two  cases  yesterday ;  these, 
T  think,  will  recover. 

I  yesterday,  called  on  Mrs.  M 11.    I  fear  that 

our  sad  and  bloody  times  affect  her  unfavorably. 

Where  is  your  husband  ? 

Your  affectionate  friend  and  Pastor,        J.  B. 

About  this  time  his  daughters  and  granddaughters 
joined  him  in  Charleston.  The  following  June, 
(1864),  he  united  in  marriage  his  third  daughter, 
Jane,  to  his  son-in-law,  William  E.  Haskell. 

January  20th,  '65,  he  wrote: 

Haskell's  bank  has  removed  its  agency  to  Colum- 
bia, and  he  has  gone  there ;  when  the  Greenville 
road  is  repaired  he  expects  to  remove  his  wife  and 
children  to  his  brother's  in  Abbeville,  then  C.  and 
myself  will  be  quite  alone  here.  *  *  All  of  us 
will  trust  in  God.  There  is  an  overruling  Provi- 
dence. God  will  not  forsake  us.  *  *  Let  us 
propitiate  Him  by  faith,  repentance,  obedience,  and 
newness  of  life,  and  all  will  yet  be  well.  We  have 
nothing  new  here,  except  harder  times.  Wood 
(pine)  is  $110  per  cord,  etc. 

In  February,  the  absent  members  of  his  family 
and  congregation  urged  him  to  leave  Charleston  ; 
a  son  stationed  on  the  coast,  wrote, "  the  city  will  be 
evacuated.  Seek  an  asylum  elsewhere.''  The  few 
members  of  the  congregation  compelled  by  circum- 
stances to  remain  in  Charleston,  added  their  earnesi 
entreaties,  saying,  "  You  cannot  protect  us,  and  it 
would  be  fool  hardiness  for  YOU,  who  made  the 


380  John  Bachman. 

prayer  at  the  "  Secession  Convention,"  to  stay  here." 
Unwilling  to  go,  he  lingered  in  the  city.  Febru- 
ary 13th,  the  last  passenger  train  of  cars  was  to 
leave.  On  the  morning  of  the  12th,  he  called  his 
daughter,  C.  L.  B.,  the  only  member  of  his  family  in 
the  city,  and  said  to  her,  "  I  have  yielded.  You  are 
not  strong  enough  to  be  exposed  to  hardships  and, 
perhaps,  insults ;  we  shall  leave  to-morrow  for 
Columbia." 

The  hospital  stores  were  hastily  distributed.  At 
Noon  next  day  the  train  started.  There  was  a  dense 
crowd,  but  space  was  made  in  the  aisle  for  Dr.  Bach- 
man's  seat — his  valise.  At  day-break  we  reached 
Cash's  Station,  near  Cheraw.  It  was  bitterly  cold- 
Dr.  Bachman  proposed  to  spend  the  night  here 
and  take  the  early  morning's  train  for  Columbia. 
His  hostess,  Mrs.  Ellerbe,  and  her  son  (by  a  former 
marriage),  Col.  Cash,  overruled  their  decision,  and 
the  worn-out  guests  were  glad  to  remain  longer  in 
their  hospitable  home, 

A  few  days  later  Charleston  was  evacuated.  The 
Confederates  passed  over  the  railroad,  destroying 
the  track  behind  them,  and  abandoning  a  car-load 
of  ammunition,  etc. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  of  March  the  news 
came  that  the  Federals  were  seven  miles  from 
Cheraw,  and  that  Columbia  had  been  captured  and 
burned.  The  negro  men  quickly  disappeared,  and 
Dr.  Bachman  was  the  only  man  to  be  found  in  the 
settlement.  The  car-load  of  ammunition  had  been 
left  not  far  from  a  dwelling  house  occupied  by 


Cruel  Treatment.  381 

refugees  from  the  coast.  Fearing  lest  a  match 
should  be  applied  to  the  powder,  he  pressed  the 
negro  women  into  service.  They  cheerfully  assisted. 
The  car,  happily,  stood  on  a  grade  of  the  road  where 
the  rails  had  not  been  torn  up.  A  vigorous,  united 
push  and  away  it  rolled  to  a  safe  distance. 

Eight  of  the  most  trustworthy  negroes  from  the 
plantation  had  been  secretly  mounted  on  fine  horses. 
Abundantly  provisioned  for  a  week,  they  were  sent 
into  a  densely  wooded  swamp  to  take  care  of  the 
horses,  and  guard  the  hidden  provisions  and  trunks. 
Only  a  person  thoroughly  acquainted  with  that  part 
of  the  country,  could  possibly  have  tracked  them. 
The  negroes  were  well  pleased  with  the  trust  reposed 
in  them.  The  approach  of  the  Federal  troops  was 
announced  by  a  terrific  explosion — they  had  put  a 
match  to  the  car  of  ammunition.  The  negroes, 
under  the  impression  that  their  hiding-place  was 
being  shelled,  in  hot  haste  mounted  the  horses  and 
rode  out.  The  fine  horses  were  a  great  prize,  and, 
of  course,  were  captured  and  eagerly  mounted  by 
the  Federals. 

Tender  mercies  are  seldom  exercised  by  an  invad- 
ing army.  Under  the  false  impression  that  silver 
and  gold  were  hidden  by  the  family,  and  that  the 
old  man  before  them  knew  the  spot  where  it  was 
concealed,  the  soldiers  roughly  interrogated  him. 
Upon  his  denial  of  the  same,  they  beat  him  and 
threw  him  on  the  ground.  He  told  them  they 
might  shoot  him,  but  begged  that  they  would  not 
41  bruise  and  batter  a  defenceless,  unarmed  old  man." 


382  John  Bachman. 

With  a  heavy  sheathed  sword  one  of  them  struck 
him  several  times  on  his  left  arm  near  the  shoulder, 
causing  great  agony.  The  account  of  the  cruel 
treatment  received,  has  been  preserved  in  his  own 
words.*  But  why  harrow  the  reader  by  further 
details  ?  We  would  rather  bury  the  past,  and  spread 
over  it  the  mantle  of  charity. 

Amidst  pathetic  scenes,  the  ludicrous  side  of  the 
picture  was  not  entirely  wanting.  When  the  trunks 
were  to  be  sent  into  the  woods,  by  close  packing,  one 
was  left  empty.  Dr.  Bachman  had  received  a  present 
of  a  pair  of  new  shoes,  which  he  needed  greatly  and 
valued  in  proportion.  These  he  determined  should 
not  be  sent  away — yet  if  he  wore  them,  they  would 
most  likely  be  taken  from  him.  He  decided  to 
leave  them  in  the  otherwise  empty,  open  trunk, 
beneath  the  tray.  The  trunk  was  kicked  about  by 
the  soldiers,  and,  to  his  intense  satisfaction,  pro- 
nounced by  them  empty,  and  the  new  shoes  were 
saved. 

Early  the  next  morning  (Sunday,  March  5th),  Dr. 
Bachman  held  a  short  religious  service  with  the 
family.  Soon  after  the  large  smoke-house  near  Mrs. 
Ellerbe's  kitchen  was  set  on  fire  by  the  soldiers.  The 
providential  direction  of  the  wind  and  a  supply  of 
wet  blankets,  saved  both  the  kitchen  and  the  family 
mansion. 

While  the  smoke  was  wreathing  over  the  smoke- 
house, a  tree  took  fire,  and  our  attention  was  at- 

*  The  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Contederate  Government,  by 
Jefferson  Davis. 


Among  Friends.  383 

traded  to  a  squirrel  that  jumped  frantically  from 
limb  to  limb.  When  the  burning  tree  toppled  over 
and  fell,  the  mystery  was  solved.  It  was  the  moth- 
er-instinct —  a  nest  was  found  containing  the 
charred  remains  of  tiny  squirrels. 

When  the  army  had  moved  on,  a  wagon  arrived, 
containing  provisions  and  even  medicines,  sent  by 
41  member  of  the  family  whose  plantation  was  not  in 
the  route  laid  waste.  The  loaves  of  wheat  bread 
were  a  special  luxury. 

Dr.  Bach  man  was  urged  to  remain,  and  lingered 
here  for  many  days.  In  April  he  received  a  letter 
from  a  member  of  his  congregation  (R.  G.  C.),  at 
Mars  Bluff,  S.  C.,  who  wrote : 

"  Come  to  us  and  baptize  my  baby,  and,  after 
awhile,  we  can  take  you  with  us  by  wagon  to  Co- 
lumbia." 

There  were  few  clothes  left  to  be  packed  up,  and, 
besides  Confederate  money,  Dr.  B.  owned  but  one 
small  coin.  At  the  Railroad  station  he  was  recog- 
nized by  an  official  on  the  road,  who  said,  "  Get 
aboard,  you  are  entitled  to  a  free  ride."  A  poor 
country  woman  stood  on  the  platform  with  six  eggs 
in  a  little  basket,  "  I  have  no  money,"  she  said,"  will 
you  take  my  eggs  and  carry  me  to  see  my  sick 
slaughter?"  The  quick  response  was:  "Jump  in, 
Granny,  and  take  your  eggs  as  a  present  to  your  sick 
daughter." 

He  met  at  Florence  some  Federal  prisoners  on 
their  way  to  Sumter.  They  were  the  men  suspected 
of  having  committed  the  outrage  on  his  person  ; 


384  John  Bachman. 

but  he  gave  neither  sign  nor  clue,  by  which  they 
could  be  identified. 

There  were  no  traces  at  "  Mars  Bluff"  of  a  bloody 
wrar;  but  the  hearts  of  all  were  sorely  anxious. 
Most  of  the  railroads  had  been  destroyed,  families 
were  separated  without  the  means  of  communica- 
tion, and  rumors  of  disaster  and  death  were  rife. 

During  these  days  of  bitter  suspense,  Dr.  Bach- 
man's  devices  to  keep  up  his  spirits  were  pathetic. 
He  taught  a  class  of  young  people  Botany ;  the  prep- 
aration for  the  lesson  and  the  drive  to  the  place  of 
meeting,  Dr.  G.'s,  proved  a  happy  diversion  from 
brooding  thought. 

On  Sunday  afternoons  he  preached  to  the  negroes, 
AVe  find  in  a  note  book,  this  entry : 

Sunday,  May  7th.  Dr.  Bachman  preached  on  the 
Ten  Commandments.  The  negroes  attended  from  all 
the  neighboring  plantations  and  formed  a  large  and 
attentive  congregation.  At  the  close  of  the  services, 
one  of  the  women,  from  Gen.  Harllee's  plantation, 
brought  a  pair  of  socks  that  she  had  knitted  for 
him — the  offering  of  an  humble  heart  grateful  for 
religious  instruction. 

In  April,  Gen.  Lee's  army — the  last  hope  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy,  surrendered. 

Dr.  Bachman  had  sought  but  failed  to  communi- 
cate, by  private  hand,  with  the  scattered  members  of 
his  family.  At  length  the  oppressive  silence  was 
broken.  Letters  reached  him  containing  assurances 
that  all  his  immediate  family  were  safe.  Rumor 
asserted  that  a  fire  had  laid  waste  a  large  portion 


St.  John's  Re-opened.  385 

of  Charleston.  Had  he  no  longer  a  shelter  there  for  his 
family?  A  letter  from  a  member  of  his  congrega- 
tion relieved  his  mind  on  this  head ;  but  informed 
him  that  taxes  were  to  be  paid  on  his  'house. 
About  the  same  time  a  letter  was  received  from  the 
widow  of  Audubon  containing  a  gift  or  a  loan  of 
fifty  dollars.  A  year  later,  he  was  able  to  refund 
the  amount ;  but  the  value  of  the  timely  assistance 
•could  never  be  measured  or  repaid. 

The  Pastor  of  St.  John's  soon  made  his  way  to 
Charleston.  June  llth,  his  Church  was  opened 
3ind  his  little  flock  gathered  around  him,  with  tears 
and  blessings.  On  this  occasion  the  Communion 
was  administered. 

By  September,  many  of  the  refuges  had  returned 
to  Charleston.  We  find  this  record — 

Sunday,  September  17th.  Forty-two  were  added 
to  the  membership  of  St.  John's,  the  candidates  for 
confirmation  occupying  eight  pews.  Pastor  and  peo- 
ple were  greatly  encouraged.  He  wrote: 

October  29th.  "  I  am  still  endeavoring,  although 
with  declining  strength,  to  preach  to  my  people. 
They  supported  me  liberally  when  they  were  able, 
now  we  are  all  poor  together,  and  I  am  sharing  their 
poverty. 

Haskell  expects  to  return  to  Charleston  next 
week.  I  shall  live  with  him  in  my  own  house :  I 
believe  with  old  Stilling — "  The  Lord  will  provide."  I 
am  now  in  my  seventy-sixth  year,  and  it  cannot  be 
long  before  my  Heavenly  Father  shall  call  me 
home.  I  hope  to  be  faithful  to  my  God  and 
Saviour.  I  have  no  merit  of  my  own  and  lean  on 
Him  who  is  mighty  to  save. 


386  John  Bachman. 

God  has  visited  my  people  with  His  grace.  Forty- 
two  were  added  to  the  Church  lately,  and  twenty- 
five  are  preparing  to  unite  with  us  before  next 
Easter.. 

To  MRS.  EMILY  E.,  A  MEMBER  OF  ST.  JOHN'S. 

I  wish  that  your  dear  family  had  been  left,  to 
solace  me  in  my  age  and  sorrow.  True  I  am  not 
without  a  hope  that  we  shall  meet  again  even  in 
this  uncertain  world.  If  not,  I  trust  that  we  shall 
be  prepared,  through  the  mercy  of  a  Saviour,  to 
dwell  together  in  a  land  where  there  are  no  partings. 
If  the  half  hour  spent  with  you — all  that  I  had  to. 
spare  in  the  midst  of  many  pressing  engagements,, 
was  so  delightful,  how  joyful  it  will  be  when  we 
meet  to  spend  an  eternity  of  bliss  at  God's  right- 
hand. 

I  sometimes  detect  in  myself  a  secret  wish  that 
the  journey  was  ended ;  but  then,  I  call  to  mind  that 
He  who  placed  me  here,  has  alone  the  right  to  re- 
call me,  and  I  try  to  be  governed  by  His  will  and 
say,  "  not  my  will  but  Thine  be  done.'1 

In  our  congregation  the  chronic  cases  remain 
about  the  same.  Others  are  very  low  :  Mr.  C.  is 
dying  of  dropsy  ;  he  is  still  much  troubled  in  mind, 
I  see  him  every  day.  I  have  a  group  of  new  cases 
out  of  the  congregation,  that  you  are  not  acquainted 
with — I  am  of  course,  very  busy.  *  * 

Remember  me  kindly  to  your  good  husband.  I 
had  hoped  long  before  this,  to  have  laid  my  hand 
upon  his  head,  but  we  must  still  live  in  hope  and 
prayer.  Perhaps  when  he  goes  into  the  fields  to- 
meditate,  like  the  patriarch,  he  may  find  the  Saviour, 
whom  he  did  not  acknowledge  in  the  Church.  I 
pray  God  to  instruct  and  bless  him.  *  *  * 

You  see  I  write  with  a  trembling  hand,  and  not 


A.  Weary  Pilgrim.  387 

without  pain.     You  will  prize  my  letters,  as  they 
cost  an  effort. 

"  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  Vestry  of  St.  John's, 
the  President  presented  a  discouraging  account  of  the 
injuries  which  the  property  had  sustained,  and  the 
losses  of  the  Church.  Much  was  said  of  the  sorrows 
that  had  fallen  on  the  people  and  of  their  poverty. 
A  considerable  debt,  which  more  prosperous  times 
had  disdained  to  pay,  hung  over  them.  It  was 
resolved  to  take  up  a  collection  every  Sunday  morn- 
ing— half  of  it  to  be  given  to  the  support  of  the 
Pastor,  and  half  to  the  expenses  of  service.  After 
a  little  while  the  members  began  to  pay  for  their 
pews  at  half  the  rate  in  use  formerly,  and,  in  1866, 
the  old  rates  were  restored. 

It  is  pleasant  to  read  in  the  Minute  Book  the 
record  of  the  mutual  affection  of  Pastor  and  people."* 

The  step  of  the  Pastor  was  feeble ;  individual 
members  of  his  congregation  presented  him  with  a 
horse  and  buggy,  and  his  heart  overflowed  with 
thankfulness.  His  eyes  were  to  him  "  the  thorn  in 
the  flesh;  the  trouble  steadily  increased,  and  in  1868, 
the  need  of  an  Assistant  in  the  Church  became 
apparent  to  Pastor  and  people. 

*  Rev.  Edward  T.  Horn,  D.  D.,  Charleston  Year  Book. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 
AFTER    THE    WAR. 

AN  ASSISTANT  PASTOR  ENGAGED — ADDRESS  ON  HUMBOLDT — FIFTY- 
FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY  SERMON — REV.  W.  W.  HICKS  ELECTED 
CO-PASTOR — PROPOSED  ENLARGEMENT  OF  ST.  JOHN'S —OPPO- 
SITION— THE  SCHEME  ABANDONED — RESIGNATION  OF  CO-PAS- 
TOR ACCEPTED— REV.  JOHN  H.  HOnOUR  ELECTED  ASSOCIATE 
PASTOR — FRUIT  AFTER  MANY  DAYS— A  GRANDSON  STl'DIES 
FOR  THE  MINISTRY. 

JANUARY,  1869,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  con- 
J  fer  with  Dr.  Bachman  with  regard  to  an  assistant 
for  St.  John's.  Just  at  that  time  Rev.  W.  W.  Hicks, 
of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  arrived  in  Charles- 
ton, and  was  introduced  to  the  Pastor  of  St.  John's. 
The  former  visited  him  and  spent  hours  in  his 
study.  His  impressive  reading  of  the  Bible  touched 
the  Doctor's  heart.  Mr.  Hicks  signified  his  willing- 
ness to  serve  him  as  an  assistant,  and  expressed  a 
desire  to  leave  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  and  to 
join  the  Lutheran.  He  was  engaged  for  six  months. 
On  the  14th  of  September,  1869,  the  centennial 
anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Humboldt  occurred.  Dr. 
Bachman's  German  fellow-citizens  urged  him,  on 
the  ground  of  his  personal  acquaintance  with  the 
great  scientist,  to  prepare  an  address  for  the  occa- 
sion. Although  he  hesitated  at  first,  his  heart 


Humboldt.  380 

warmed  as  he  thought  over  the  subject,  and  he 
dictated  to  his  amanuensis  with  his  usual  freedom. 

The  address  is  remarkable  for  its  freshness,  writ- 
ten, as  it  was,  in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age,  when 
he  was  too  feeble  to  deliver  it  himself. 

We  give  it  in  full,  as  it  appeared  in  the  Charleston 
Courier  : 

HUMBOLDT. 

Having  been  honored  with  a  request  from  the 
German  Societies  of  Charleston  to  join  in  the  cele- 
bration of  an  event  which  recalls  to  the  mind  not 
only  of  the  German,  but  to  the  man  of  science  in 
every  land,  the  name,  character,  and  eminent  use- 
fulness of  one  of  the  greatest  men  in  the  natural 
sciences  which  the  world  has  ever  produced,  I  feel 
at  a  loss  to  decide  where  I  am  to  begin,  or  which  of 
the  numerous  subjects  presented  in  the  eventful 
life  of  Humboldt  it  would  be  most  interesting  to 
dwell  upon. 

I  have  thought  that  you  might  be  most  interested 
in  a  few  of  the  reminiscences  of  my  early  inter- 
course with  that  great  man,  who,  even  at  my  first 
acquaintance  with  him,  appeared  among  the 
naturalists  and  philosophers,  as  a  giant  among  a 
race  of  pigmies.  We  delight  to  trace  the  history 
of  a  great  mind,  who  climbed  far  beyond  the  foot- 
prints which  his  predecessors  had  left,  and,  from 
this  still  eminence,  listened  to  the  harmony  of  the 
universe,  and  repeated  its  music  to  a  listening 
world.  He  whose  life  and  history  are  called  to  our 
remembrance  to-day,  has  left  a  name,  so  world- 
renowned,  that,  until  now,  none  have  equaled  it. 
"  That  name  echoes  from  the  peak  of  Teneriffe,  the 
summits  of  Chimborazo,  and  the  gigantic  ranges  of 
17 


890  John  BacHman. 

the  Himalayas.  Where  science,  from  her  mountain 
throne,  contemplates  the  vast  monuments  on  which 
time  has  recorded  the  history  of  the  world,  or, 
unfolding  the  bosom  of  the  earth,  reveals  the  record 
of  the  successive  phases  of  its  development ; 
wherever  the  tides  of  ocean,  the  rush  of  mighty 
rivers,  and  the  stillness  of  unbounded  plains,  pro- 
claim the  laws  which  make  this  globe  a  habita- 
ble world — wherever  forests  wave,  decked  with  ex- 
uberant foliage,  laden  writh  many  hued  and  fragrant 
flowers,  and  fruits  of  luscious  taste,  and  teeming 
with  throngs  of  beasts,  birds  and  insects — through- 
out nature's  richest  kingdoms,  the  name  of  Hum- 
boldt  stands  confessed — the  greatest  of  nature's  his- 
torians, the  wisest  and  most  eloquent  expounder  of 
her  laws."* 

It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1804, 
that  I  was  permitted,  for  the  first  time  to  look  upon 
the  countenance,  to  press  the  hand,  and  listen  to  the 
interesting  words  of  this  great  philosopher.  He 
had  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  with  his  associate, 
Bonpland,  after  having  explored  almost  every 
portion  of  Mexico,  and  measured  the  heights  of  the 
Cordilleras,  and  Chimborazo.  He  had  visited  por- 
tions of  South  America,  which  had  not  been  reached 
by  previous  travellers,  he  had  remained  in  Havana 
for  ten  months,  where  he  completed  his  political 
essay  on  Cuba,  and  after  a  five  years  residence  in 
America,  he  was  now  about  to  return  to  Europe. 
Efforts  were  made  to  evince  the  respect  of  the  com- 
munity for  such  a  successful  traveller,  and  so  emi- 
nent a  naturalist.  Attempts  were  made  to  collect 
together  the  few  who  had  any  pretensions  to  natural 
science,  residing  in  Philadelphia.  I  was  then  a 
student,  and  only  sixteen  years  of  age,  but  it  being 

*Humboldt's  Leben,  von  Herman  Klouke. 


Early  Acquaintance  with  Humboldt.  391 

known  that  I  was  occasionally  in  the  habit  of  ac- 
companying Wilson  in  his  researches  in  Ornithology r 
and  of  spending  my  vacations  and  Saturdays  in 
Bartram's  garden,  the  usual  resort  of  botanists,  I 
was  honored  with  an  invitation  to  meet  those  who 
were  about  to  welcome  this  eminent  philosopher 
and  naturalist  to  our  country.  I  felt  that  I  was  not 
deserving  of  the  high  honor  of  the  invitation,  and 
mention  the  fact  here,  to  show  how  scanty,  in  those 
days,  were  the  material  in  natural  science.  A  din- 
ner had  been  prepared  for  the  occasion  in  Peal's 
Museum.  Among  the  few  naturalists  who  attended 
were  the  two  Bartrams,  Wilson,  the  Ornithologist, 
Lawson,  his  engraver,  George  Ord,  and  a  few 
others,  whose  names  have  now  escaped  my  recollec- 
tion. To  this  small  group  was  added  a  considerable 
number  of  men  who  were  eminent  in  the  various 
departments  of  literature  and  science.  Few  speeches 
were  made,  and  those  were  short — there  was  no 
formality.  Humboldt  was  then,  as  he  was  after- 
wards, in  every  society,  "the  observed  of  all  ob- 
servers/' ready  to  answer  any  question  that  was 
propounded  to  him,  and  evidencing  throughout  a 
spirit  of  gentleness  and  kindness,  and  great  amia- 
bility of  character.  I  saw  him  every  day  during 
the  few  days  he  remained  in  Philadelphia.  He  in- 
serted my  name  in  his  note-book,  and  for  the  last 
sixty  years  we  corresponded  at  long  intervals.  His 
publications,  as  they  successively  appeared,  mostly 
in  the  French  language,  with  the  exception  of  his 
'*  Aspects  of  Nature,"  which  was  in  German,  were 
regularly  sent  to  me.  It  would  have  been  very 
gratifying  to  me,  and  interesting  to  your  societies, 
if  I  could  have  exhibited  to  you  his  autograph  in 
some  of  his  letters;  but,  alas  !  my  whole  library  and 
all  rny  collections  in  Natural  History,  the  accumu- 
lation of  the  labors  of  a  long  life,  were  burnt  by 


392  John  Bach  man. 

Sherman's  vandal  army,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
a  single  letter,  which,  by  accident,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  another  member  of  my  family,  I  possess  no 
memorials  of  one  who  condescended  to  speak  of  me 
us  a  friend. 

Thirty-four  years  passed  away,  and  I  was  once 
more  permitted  to  renew  a  personal  intercourse 
which  had  so  long  been  interrupted.  Arriving  in 
Berlin,  he  was  the  first  to  welcome  me,  and  to  extend 
those  civilities  which  enabled  me  to  feel  myself  at 
home  among  the  men  of  learning  and  science  in  my 
fatherland.  Although  years  had  passed  away,  time 
had  wrought  but  very  little  change  in  his  counte- 
nance, or  in  his  habits.  He  was  the  same  cheerful, 
pleasant  companion,  the  same  indefatigable  student, 
giving  but  four  hours  to  sleep,  and  laboring  in  his 
studies  with  uninterrupted  zeal. 

When  about  to  separate,  we  arranged  to  renew 
our  intercourse  again  at  the  Association  of  Natural- 
ists, who  were  to  meet  that  year  at  Freyburg  in  the 
Duchy  of  Baden,  where  were  to  be  congregated  the 
most  eminent  Naturalists  of  Europe.  The  members 
all  dined  at  a  common  table,  but  our  breakfast  and 
tea  were  served  up  in  private  apartments.  An  op- 
portunity was  thus  afforded  us  for  private  inter- 
course and  conversation  with  friends.  We  made 
arrangements  to  welcome  Humboldt  into  the  small 
group  who  breakfasted  and  took  tea  together.  A 
few  of  the  eminent  Naturalists  of  Europe  composed 
our  little  party.  Professor  Buckland,  of  Oxford, 
was  there,  and  his  lady  presided  at  our  cheerful 
board.  Professor  Owen,  of  England,  assisted  in 
forming  the  party.  But  we  were  doomed  to  dis- 
appointment. Humboldt  was  detained,  by  order  of 
the  King,  in  Prussia,  and  wrote  to  express  his  re- 
gret that  he  could  not  be  with  us. 

I  never  expected  to  meet  him  again,  but   late  in 


Humboldt  in  Paris.  39$ 

the  Autumn  of  that  year,  happening  to  be  in  Paris, 
and  attending  a  meeting  of  the  French  Academy, 
one  of  the  first  persons  I  met,  was  Humboldt — and 
for  two  weeks  1  saw  him  nearly  every  day.  He 
was  still,  as  usual,  the  student  of  Nature,  gave  his 
hours  of  repast  to  a  group  of  friends,  who  united  in 
conversation  with  him,  and  devoted  the  remainder 
of  the  day  to  the  various  studies  in  those  sciences 
to  which  his  life  had  been  devoted.  He  always 
spoke  of  himself  as  an  humble  student  of  Nature, 
who  knew  but  little,  and  was  struggling  to  acquire 
more  knowledge. 

It  was  pleasant  and  somewhat  amusing  to  observe 
his  manner  and  occupations  during  the  day.  At  a 
stated  hour  in  the  morning  he  was  to  be  found  at 
the  Garden  of  Plants  engaged  in  some  investiga- 
tions in  Natural  History.  I  'met  him  there  with 
his  coat  off  and  in  an  apron  that  nearly  covered  his 
whole  body,  engaged  in  dissecting  an  animal  that 
had  just  died  in  the  menagerie.  80  intent  was  he 
upon  his  labors  that  he  seemed  to  have  scarcely 
time  to  turn  his  head  to  answer  the  various  ques- 
tions that  were  addressed  to  him.  Thus,  for  some 
hours,  every  one  appeared  to  be  intensely  engaged 
in  his  own"  work.  At  a  certain  time  of  the  day, 
these  French  philosophers  always  resolved  on  an 
hour  of  rest  and  recreation.  When  that  time  arrived 
one  ot  the  attendants  passed  through  the  rooms  of 
these  students  of  nature,  calling  aloud,  "  the  hour 
has  come,  boys,  come  out  to  play!7'  Instantly  the 
whole  scene  was  changed,  the  philosophers  shut  up 
their  books,  laid  aside  their  instruments,  changed 
their  outward  dress  in  a  few  moments,  and  it  ap- 
peared as  if  a  group  of  happy  children  were  jump- 
ing and  frolicking  around  you.  A  considerable 
portion  of  the  garden  was  devoted  to  a  menagerie  of 
wild  animals,  and  among  the  most  amusing  were  the 


394  John  Bachman. 

monkeys,  collected  from  all  quarters  of  the  earth. 
Here  these  philosophers  amused  themselves  until 
the  dinner  hour,  and  for  a  time  the  sciences  were 
all  forgotten  in  the  hilarity  of  the  occasion. 
I  noticed  that  Humboldt  exerted  himself  to  be 
as  gay  and  happy  as  any  in  that  most  interesting 
group. 

The  dinner  hour  arrived,  men  who  wish  to  ren- 
der their  time  in  Paris  agreeable,  usually  arranged 
to  dine  together  at  some  of  the  tables-d'hotes,  where 
old  associations  are  renewed,  and  where  they  can 
enjoy,  uninterrupted,  the  most  entertaining  and 
delightful  conversations.  On  these  occasions  I 
usually  met  Humboldt.  There  he  was  the  pleasant 
and  instructive  companion,  and  we  all  conceived  it 
to  be  not  only  a  great  privilege  but  a  high  honor 
thus  to  associate  with  him. 

At  the  meetings  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences  he 
preferred  being  a  listener.  Occasionally,  for  the 
purpose  of  eliciting  an  opinion,  a  question  was  put 
to  him,  which  he  would  answer  in  a  few  brief  words, 
and  then  resume  his  seat. 

At  night,  to  the  various  parties  that  were  given  in 
Paris,  Humboldt  was  always  invited,  and  it  appear- 
ed that  he  never  declined  the  invitations.  Ladies 
of  the  highest  rank  were  not  satisfied  without  an 
introduction,  and  they  always  spoke  of  the  occasion 
as  one  of  the  greatest  honors  that  had  ever  been 
conferred  upon  them. 

I  would,  just  here,  remark  that  Humboldt  was, 
in  figure,  of  the  medium  size,  his  forehead  broad 
and  high,  his  hands  and  feet  delicately  formed,  his 
locks,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  of  silvery  white- 
ness. His  eyes  were  blue,  and  full  of  expression. 
Thirty  years  ago  his  features  appeared  undimmed 
by  age,  and  whilst  enjoying  his  conversation,  in 
which  there  was  wit  and  tenderness,  you  lost  for  a 


Humboldt.  395 

moment,  your  reverence  for  the  great  man,  in  your 
admiration  for  a  kind  and  jovial  companion. 

He  was  born  at  Berlin,  1769 — a  memorable  year 
in  the  annals  of  genius,  for  in  it  were  born  Sir 
Walter  Scott,  Cuvier,  and  Chateaubriand — also, 
the  eminent  English  orators  and  statesmen — Can- 
ning, Mackintosh,  and  Brougham.  He  was  of 
baronial  lineage,  his  father  was  Chamberlain  to 
Frederick  the  Great,  and  a  personal  and  intimate 
friend  of  the  succeeding  king.  His  father  was  not 
gifted  with  any  striking  qualities.  Humboldt  was 
indebted  for  the  direction  of  his  education  to  the 
Baroness,  his  mother,  who  was  no  ordinary  woman, 
and  whom  he  loved  and  venerated.  She  was  de- 
scended from  that  sturdy  race  of  French  Protes- 
tants, whom  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes 
scattered  abroad,  to  the  advantage  of  every  country 
where  they  fixed  their  abode.  This  lady  appears  to 
have  transmitted  to  her  son  the  cheerfulness,  viva- 
city, and  quickness  of  apprehension,  which  belonged 
to  her  own  race,  while  he  inherited  from  his  father 
the  tenacity  of  purpose,  which  so  much  distinguishes 
the  Teutonic  character. 

Humboldt  was  peculiarly  favored  in  the  posses- 
sion of  every  advantage  for  the  acquisition  of  knowl- 
edge. It  cannot  be  said  of  him  that  he  was  ever 
deprived  of  any  thing  that  was  necessary  to  render 
him  a  great  and  eminent  man.  From  his  earliest 
years  to  mature  manhood  he  lacked  no  instruction 
which  wealth,  rank  or  station  could  lavish  upon 
him.  He  was  educated  at  the  University  of 
Gottingen.  Wherever  he  went,  in  his  adventurous 
career,  the  same  cordial  welcome  and  co-operation 
awaited  him.  Kings  and  Governors  vied  in  pro- 
moting his  progress ;  lovers  and  cultivators  of  science 
in  every  country  contributed  of  their  own  stores  to 
enrich  him,  and  through  him,  the  world. 


.SJKJ  John  Bachman. 

How  vast  those  resources  were,  and  how  usefully 
they  were  employed,  may  be  seen  in  his  works.  He 
lived  to  a  great  age.  He  was  born  in  1769,  and  died 
1859,  having  reached  the  unusual  age  of  ninety 
years.  The  whole  of  his  long  life  was  devoted  to 
studies  and  labors  calculated  to  benefit  mankind. 
His  last  work,  the  "  Cosmos,"  is  a  monument  of 
meditation  and  research,  unequaled  in  all  the  labors 
of  science.  Even  when  the  weight  of  fourscore  and 
ten  years  lay  upon  his  head,  he  toiled  whilst  others 
rested,  and  it  is  asserted  by  those  who  knew  him 
most  intimately,  that  the  morning's  dawn  often  sur- 
prised him  at  his  desk. 

He  had  a  brother,  Karl  Wilhelm,  two  years  his 
senior,  who  became  almost  as  eminent  as  himself  in 
many  of  the  sciences. 

In  the  many  conversations  I  had  with  Humboldt 
he  often  alluded  to  his  attachment  to  the  American 
nation,  and  spoke  of  himself  as  half  an  American, 
inasmuch  as  some  of  his  earliest  labors  had  com- 
menced in  America. 

He  had  no  time  to  devote  himself  to  minor  points 
in  the  sciences.  His  mind  dwelt  upon  the  great 
laws  of  nature,  comprehending  the  whole  circle  of 
the  sciences. 

In  the  knowledge  of  genera  and  species,  and  in  the 
particular  sciences,  he  had  many  superiors.  Thus 
in  the  Department  of  Botany,  Linna3us  and  De 
Candole  were  fuller.  Cuvier  and  even  Buffon  had 
entered  more  minutely  into  the  study  of  the  quad- 
rupeds ;  and  other  authors  who  devoted  them- 
selves to  the  study  of  the  birds,  fishes,  insects, 
etc.,  surpassed  him  in  minute  description,  but  in 
general  knowledge  he  surpassed  them  all.  It  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  a  man  who,  by  his 
intellectual  greatness,  towered  above  the  loftiest 
of  his  contemporaries,  and  by  his  simplicity,  gen- 


Humboldt  Characterised.  397 

tleness,  affability,  and  modesty  of  manner,  made 
even  the  humblest  at  home  in  his  society,  should 
have  become  the  admired  and  honored  of  all  men. 
In  the  streets  of  Berlin,  every  one  seemed  to  know 
him,  and  to  love  him.  Crowds  would  separate  to 
let  him  pass,  without  disturbing  the  reflections  in 
which  he  was  engaged.  I  remarked  that  the  two 
nieces  of  the  king  ran  up  to  him  in  the  street  to  im- 
press a  kiss  on  his  cheek,  calling  him  by  the  endear- 
ing name  of  "  Father." 

In  his  ninetieth  year,  with  his  faculties  yet  un- 
impaired, when  all  his  associates  of  early  life  had 
been  removed,  and  his  name  had  been  rendered 
immortal,  he  was  summoned  from  the  earth,  and 
all  that  was  perishable  was  committed  to  the  tomb, 
amid  the  homage  of  great  scientific  bodies,  and  the 
solemn  reverence  and  silent  tears  of  the  multitude, 
who  had  wondered  at  his  wisdom,  and  loved  him 
for  his  virtues. 

It  is  difficult  to  decide  whether  he  displayed  more 
humility  in  his  greatness,  or  dignity  in  his  sim- 
plicity. He  adorned  the  highest,  and  graced  the 
humblest  position.  Having  had  experience  with 
men  of  all  climes,  ranks  and  characters,  he  was  yet 
never  known  to  have  made  an  enemy. 

In  order  to  form  some  idea  of  the  various  sciences 
which  Humboldt  had  studied,  and  of  which  he  had 
acquired  a  knowledge  above  all  other  men,  I  refer 
you  to  a  summary  contained  in  the  first  volume  of 
his  "  Cosmos,"  where  it  will  be  seen  that  there  was 
no  study,  however  deep  and  abstruse,  which  his 
mind  did  not  grasp,  and  no  aspect  of  nature  with 
which  he  had  not  become  familiarized. 

The  lessons  taught  us  in  these  simple  references 
to  the  life  of  a  great  man,  ought  not  to  be  overlooked. 
He  who  desires  to  be  great,  must  study  to  acquire 
knowledge.  Humboldt  considered  every  moment 


398  John  Bachman. 

of  time  lost,  that  was  not  devoted  to  its  acquisition. 
He  who  would  be  eminent,  must  preserve  his 
mind  pure  and  elevated,  and  free  from  all  irregu- 
larities, and  indulgence  in  licentiousness.  Hum- 
boidt's  moral  character  was  pure  and  without  a 
stain.  He  who  desires  to  hand  down  his  name  to 
posterity  among  the  great  and  the  good,  must  follow 
the  example  of  Humboldt,  and  labor  to  be  an  orna- 
ment to  society  and  a  blessing  to  mankind. 

January,  1870,  Dr.  Bachman  preached  his  fifty- 
fifth  anniversary  sermon.  The  altar  services,  in  the 
absence  of.  the  Assistant  Minister,  were  conducted 
by  the  Rev.  John  H.  Honour.  The  occasion  was 
naturally  invested  with  unusual  interest — more 
especially  to  the  flock  over  whom  he  had  presided 
for  more  than  half  a  century. 

The  columns  of  the  Charleston  Courier  of  that  date 
have  preserved  to  us  the  sermon.  We  give  a  few 
extracts : 

Proverbs,  16th  Chapter,  31st  verse:  "  Tfie  hoary 
head  is  a  crown  of  glory,  if  it  be  found  in  the  way  of 
righteousness" 

My  Beloved  People — Time  is  ever  on  the  wing — 
everything  is  in  a  state  of  progression — the  smallest 
twig  gradually  swells  into  the  majestic  tree.  This, 
in  time,  grows  old,  totters,  decays,  and  falls  to  the 
ground.  The  rivulets  springing  from  the  fountain 
mingle  their  streams  and  form  the  broad  river,  which 
hurries  onward,  onward,  until  it  empties  itself,  and 
is  lost  in  the  mighty  ocean.  These  are  emblems  of 
human  life.  And  the  wise  man  gives  a  true  esti- 
mate of  its  shortness — all  are  hastening  to  the  end  of 
their  journey ;  and  if  the  life  of  the  young  is  spared, 


His  Last  Sermon.  399 

the  hoary  head  must  come  at  last;  and,  if  your  char- 
acters are  formed  on  religious  principles,  if  you  are 
pure,  upright,  benevolent  and  pious ;  if,  in  a  word, 
you  are  found  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  then 
your  hoary  head  will  be  to  you  "  a  crown  of  glory" 
shedding  its  radiance  on  all  around  you. 

Your  aged  pastor,  who  is  now  addressing  you, 
perhaps  for  the  last  time,  has  arrived  at  almost  the 
extreme  verge  of  human  life.  The  Psalmist  exclaims 
— "  The  days  of  our  years  are  threescore  years  and 
ten,  and  if  by  reason  of  strength  they  be  fourscore 
years,  yet  is  their  strength  labor  and  sorrow,  for  it 
•is  soon  cut  off,  and  we  fly  away."  This  is  an  accu- 
rate description  of  man's  fleeting  life.  Seventy 
years  are  accounted  by  the  inspired  Psalmist  as  the 
age  to  which  man,  under  favorable  circumstances, 
may  attain  ;  if,  however,  by  reason  of  a  good  consti- 
tution and  God's  especial  aid,  he  should  reach  eighty 
years,  the  period  has  then  arrived  when  his  strength 
shall  soon  be  cut  off,  and  his  soul  severed  from  the 
body.  As  music  from  the  string  ascends,  so  it 
mounts  upwards  to  a  home  of  immortality  and  joy. 

It  is  by  the  permission  of  an  All- Wise  Providence, 
that  I  have  presided  over  this  congregation  during 
the  long  period  of  fifty-five  years  to-day,  and  in  three 
weeks  I  shall  have  entered  upon  the  eighty-first  year 
of  my  life.  I  stand  not  here  to-day  to  repeat  the 
history  of  other  days — of  the  prosperity  and  adversity 
through  which  we  have  passed — hand  in  hand.  I 
only  intend  to  draw  some  lessons  of  moral  improve- 
ment froni  our  long  connection. 

First  let  us  consider  the  manner  in  which  we 
shall  be  called  to  an  account  before  God,  our  Judge, 
— the  one  for  the  performance  of  his  duty  as  a 
teacher  of  righteousness,  and  the  other  as  a  hearer 
of  God's  Word.  The  minister  has  this  solemn  warn- 
ing before  him,  "  Son  of  man,  I  have  made  thee  a 


400  John  Bachman. 

ivatchman  unto  the  house  of  Israel"  "  When  I  say 
unto  the  wicked  thou  shalt  surely  die,  and  thou  givest 
him  not  warning,  the  wicked  man  shall  die  in  hi* 
iniquity,  but  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand.  But 
if  thou  warn  the  wicked  and  he  turn  not  from  his  wicked- 
ness, he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity,  but  thou  hast  delivered 
thy  soul"  You  perceive  then,  my  dear  brethren, 
how  solemn,  how  awful  are  our  responsibilities. 

Think  not,  my  dear  friends,  that  your  Pastor,  who 
has  endeavored  to  discharge  his  duty,  however  im- 
perfectly, to  your  forefathers,  to  your  fathers  and  to 
you,  has  been  actuated  by  personal  feelings  against 
you  when  he  spoke  of  your  neglect  of  duty,  or  de- 
sired to  find  favor  in  your  sight  by  palliating  your 
short  comings.  You  have  heard  his  authority  for 
the  reproof  of  your  errors,  and  his  encouragement 
for  leading  you  in  the  path  of  truth  and  of  duty. 

Young  man,  young  woman,  as  yet  you  have  only 
been  permitted  to  pluck  the  blossoms  of  Spring,  still 
you  have  been  long  enough  in  this  garden  of  the 
world  to  learn  to  discriminate  between  the  pure,  the 
fragrant,  and  the  wholesome,  and  that  which  is 
poisonous  and  malevolent. 

Ye  middle  aged,  have  ye  not  heard  the  oft-re- 
peated assurances  of  the  punishments  that  will  be 
reaped  by  sin,  and  the  rewards  secured  by  integrity, 
uprightness  and  piety.  Ye  aged,  have  ye  not  had 
time  enough  in  your  probation,  to  learn  that  tlr. 
hoary  head  is  ct  crown  of  glory — but  only  if  it  be  found 
in  the  way  of  righteousness. 

I  desire  most  earnestly  to  see  the  work  of  grace 
abounding  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  my  people. 
Often  and  often,  for  many  years  past,  has  the  Spirit 
of  God  visited  us — very  recently  some  who  had 
waited  long,  surrendered  their  hearts  to  God.  One 
who  had  resolved  to  be  among  us  was  cut  down 
suddenly  before  the  opportunity  was  afforded  him 


A  Last  Appeal  401 

to  dedicate  himself  to  God  ;  the  Almighty,  no  doubt, 
accepted  the  will  for  the  deed.  And  many  others 
are  before  me,  who  have  long,  very  long,  been  the 
subjects  not  alone  of  the  prayers  of  their  aged  Pastor, 
but  of  their  wives,  their  children,  their  brothers, 
their  sisters,  and  friends.  Come,  beloved  brethren, 
hear  my  instructions  and  pleadings,  let  not  my 
words  fall  unheeded  on  your  ears.  He  who  has  so 
long  esteemed  you  as  friends,  who  has  partaken  so 
often  of  your  hospitality,  who  united  you  in  the 
holy  bonds  of  marriage — who  baptized  your  little 
children  —  who  participated  in  your  joys,  and 
mourned  with  you  in  your  sorrows,  comes  to  you 
now — in  the  last  days  of  his  life,  with  the  earnest 
entreaty,  the  fervent  prayer,  "  Be  ye  reconciled  to 
God"  You  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  you  desire  that  the  tender  associations  com- 
menced in  life,  may  be  perpetuated  in  heaven.  Come, 
take  one  step  more,  and  God  will  do  the  rest.  Make 
a  profession  of  religion,  come  with  all  your  imper- 
fections to  a  throne  of  grace  and  mercy,  and  He  who 
said  to  the  penitent  of  old,  •'  Thy  sins  are  forgiven 
thee,  go  and  sin  no  more,"  will  take  you  under  His 
paternal  protection  and  training,  and  fit  you  for 
that  kingdom  which  is  eternal  in  the  heavens.  At 
our  next  Communion  at  Easter,  we  hope  and  pray 
that  you  will  be  among  the  many  who  will  dedicate 
themselves  to  the  service  of  the  living  God.  0  ! 
delay  not,  delay  not,  my  sun  of  life  is  Vapidly  going, 
down,  and  the  hands  that  now  invite  you,  and  are 
now  ready  to  bless  you,  are  trembling  with  four- 
score years.  Oh  !  what  joy,  what  thankfulness  will 
be  created  in  my  aged  heart,  if  those  to  whose  fore- 
fathers I  have  ministered,  and  for  whose  descend- 
ants I  am  now  spending  my  latest  breath,  should 
with  one  accord  bring  the  offerings  of  their  hearts 
to  the  altar  of  the  living  God. 


402  John  Bachman. 

Brethren,  take  the  best  wishes,  the  fervent  prayers 
and  the  heartfelt  blessing  of  your  aged  father  and 
Pastor.  May  your  children  be  trained  up  to  the 
fear  of  God  and  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord.  May  the  young  before  me,  crowd  around  this 
altar  to  receive  the  blessing  of  their  Heavenly  Father, 
may  husbands  and  wives  draw  nigh  to  this  Table 
of  the  Lord  with  devoted  affection  in  their  hearts 
towards  each  other  and  towards  their  God,  and  may 
these,  my  aged  friends,  who  are  tottering  on  the 
brink  of  the  grave,  now  give  evidence  that  they 
have  a  well  grounded  hope  for  their  anticipations 
of  a  reunion  with  their  beloved  beyond  the  grave. 
And  may  God  have  mercy  upon  us  all. — Soon — very 
soon,  if  we  walk  faithfully  with  Him,  will  earth's 
tears  all  be  wiped  away  and  the  wailings  of  sorrow 
be  swallowed  up  in  the  songs  of  joy  and  rejoicing  ; 
chill  poverty  soon  shall  be  felt  no  more,  but  in  the 
mansions  above — within  the  pearly  gates,  light  and 
peace  and  joy  will  abound  throughout  the  ages  of 
immortality.  Amen. 

This  was  the  last  time  that  the  aged  Pastor  of  St. 
John's  occupied  his  pulpit — his  work  as  a  preacher 
was  ended  ;  but  his  pastoral  labors  were  still  abun- 
dant. 

Meanwhile  the  seductive  eloquence  of  the  sermons 
of  the  assistant  charmed  the  congregation  and  Dr. 
Bachman,  with  joy,  threw  the  whole  weight  of  his 
influence  in  his  favor.  When  the  Synod  of  South 
Carolina  convened,  Mr.  Hicks  was  received  into  the 
Lutheran  ministry,  and  was  forthwith  elected  co- 
pastor  of  St.  John's. 

The  pews  and  even  the  aisles  of  the  Church  were 
crowded.  About  this  time,  Dr.  Bachman  sent  a 


St.  John's.  403 

letter  to  his  Vestry,  suggesting  that  the  Church 
should  be  enlarged  by  extending  it  thirty  feet  at  the 
east  end.  In  his  letter  he  gives  his  reasons  for  the 
same.  "  This  would  be  in  accordance  with  the 
original  plan."  "The  addition  would  accommodate 
a  sufficient  congregation  to  give  the  means  of  sup- 
port for  two  ministers  without  putting  a  burden  on 
the  pew-holders." 

There  was  one  great  difficulty  in  the  way — the 
space  that  would  be  covered  by  the  proposed  exten- 
sion was,  in  part,  occupied  by  graves.  It  was  sug- 
gested that  commemorative  slabs  should  be  placed 
in  the  walls  of  the  Church,  or,  if  preferred,  the  dead 
were  to  be  removed  to  "  Magnolia  Cemetery  "—the 
Church  to  bear  all  expenses. 

The  congregation  met  and  the  question  of  en- 
largement was  warmly  discussed  and  decided 
upon,  by  a  vote  of  twenty-one  ayes  to  seventeen 
nays. 

The  minority  were,  however,  greatly  dissatisfied, 
and  the  matter  was  referred  to  Chancellor  Dunkin, 
who  returned  answer,  "  That  while  the  congregation 
had  the  right  to  extend  the  church  building  over 
the  burial  lots  in  question,  the  monuments  could 
not  be  disturbed  without  the  consent  of  their 
owners."  A  meeting  of  the  congregation  was  forth- 
with called  and  the  subject  was  fully  reconsidered, 
A  few  of  the  most  enthusiastic  proposed  to  procure 
an  eligible  site  for  a  new  building ;  to  pull  down 
the  present  church,  and  to  use  the  material  in  the 
erection  of  a  larger  edifice  ;  but  this  suggestion  met 


404  John  Back-man. 

with    few    advocates.      A    resolution     was    finally 
adopted  abandoning  the  whole  scheme. 

Soon  after  this,  against  the  better  judgment  of  Dr. 
Bachman,  the  associate  Pastor  became  the  Editor  of 
"  The  XIX  Century,"  a  literary  journal  in  which 
politics  were  also  discussed.  A  bitter  political  de- 
bate arose  between  "  The  XIX  Century,"  and  the 
press  of  Charleston.  At  this  time,  South  Carolina 
was  under  the  misrule  of  Governor  Scott,  and  the 
community  were  greatly  excited.  Dr.  Bachman,  in 
a  letter  to  his  Vestry,  August  19th,  1870,  wrote :  "  I 
did  what  I  could  to  put  a  stop  to  the  dispute  which 
had  arisen  from  the  controversy.  1  felt  it  my  duty 
as  a  Minister  of  the  Church  to  do  all  in  my  power  to 
check  the  further  progress  of  the  political  quarrel." 

The  Associate  Pastor  sent  in  his  resignation, 
August  23rd,  and  it  was  accepted. 

The  Pastor,  Vestry  and  congregation  acted  with 
admirable  promptitude  and  decision.  The  ensuing 
week  a  letter  was  sent  to  the  Rev.  J.  H  Honour,  in- 
viting him  to  become  associate  Pastor  of  St.  John's. 
Although  he  declined  to  accept,  yet  he  kindly  con- 
sented to  preach  to  the  congregation  every  Sunday 
morning  until  a  co-pastor  should  be  elected.  This 
arrangement  was  continued  for  eighteen  months. 
The  Sunday-school  held  its  session  in  the  afternoons. 
On  Sunday  mornings,  the  venerable  Dr.  Bachman 
occupied  a  seat  in  the  Church,  offered  a  short 
prayer,  and  gave  the  blessing  to  the  congregation. 

Towards  the  close  of  1870,  he  often  complained  of 
a  numbness  in  his  left  arm,  and  his  physicians 


A  Paator'x  He-ward.  405 

suspected  that  what  appeared,  at  first,  to  be  simply 
vertigo,  was  in  reality,  incipient  paralysis.  He 
made,  however,  his  usual  round  of  visits,  and  even 
went  to  Summerville  on  parochial  duty. 

An  ill  member  of  his  congregation,  Miss  L.  P.,  in 
search  of  health,  had  been  received  in  the  home  of 
Charles  S.  Vedder,  I).  IX,  (now  Pastor  of  the  Hugue- 
not Church,  in  Charleston).  Warm-hearted,  intelli- 
gent, cultivated  and  an  earnest  seeker  after  truth, 
she  won  the  love  of  Pastor  and  friends. 

Doubts  with  regard  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
deterred  her  from  uniting  with  the  Church.  Hap- 
pily she  was  in  the  home  of  a  minister,  to  whom  she 
could  freely  open  her  heart.  As  her  health  daily 
declined,  her  soul  craved  for  a  closer  communion 
with  her  Lord. 

One  morning,  at  dawn  of  day,  a  messenger  in 
haste,  brought  a  letter  from  Dr.  Vedder,  explaining, 
in  a  few  words,  that  the  attendant  physician  pro- 
nounced Miss  P.,  near  her  end  ;  that  she  earnestly 
desired  to  receive  the  Hdly  Sacrament,  and  entreated 
her  old  pastor  to  come  to  her. 

The  evening  train  from  Summerville  to  Charles- 
ton had  already  left,  arid  in  order  that  Dr.  B. 
might  take  the  next  morning's  train,  6  A.  M.,  the 
messenger  had  ridden  twenty  miles,  at  night,  on 
horseback. 

Dr.  B.  reached  his  destination,  and  found  his 
dying  parishioner  eagerly  expecting  him.  When  he 
had  laid  his  hand  upon  her  head  and  consecrated 
her  in  life  and  death  to  the  Triune  God,  and  when 


406  John  Bachraan. 

she  had  partaken  of  the  body  and  blood  of  her 
Lord,  a  holy  calm  possessed  her  soul,  and,  contrary 
to  the  expectation  of  her  physician,  she  lingered  on 
earth  for  several  days.  She  was  able  to  converse 
and  to  tell  him  of  the  kindly  ministry  of  Dr.  V.  "  I 
am  not  ungrateful  to  him,"  she  said,  "  for  his  great 
kindness  and  patience  in  instructing  me  ;  but  when 
the  light  broke  into  my  soul,  1  felt  that  from  early 
childhood  I  had  been  carefully  taught,  and  I  craved 
to  see  you  once  more,  to  tell  you  that  the  good  seed 
you  had  faithfully  sown,  is  the  germ  of  my  new 
life."  (The  writer  was  present  and  witnessed  this 
touching  scene). 

About  this  time,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  Patriarch, 
his  eldest  grandson,  John  B.  Haskell,  decided  to 
study  for  the  ministry. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

ILLNESS  AND  CONVALESENCE. 

LETTER  FROM  j.  A.  BROWN,  D.  D,,  AND  DR.  BACHMAN'S  REPLY — 

FROM  REV.  J.  B.  HASKELL — REPLY  TO  LETTERS  FROM  MILES- 
TOWN,  PA. — CORRESPONDENCE  BETWEEN  JOHN  HASKELL  AND 
HIS  GRANDFATHER — LETTERS  TO  A.  R.  RUDE,  D.  D.,  MR.  JOHN 

8.   FAKE,    REV.    T.    W.   DOSH — BEREAVEMENT — DECLINE. 

JUNE,  1871,  Dr.  Bachman  had  a  severe  stroke  of 
paralysis,  that  for  days  threatened  to  terminate 
fatally  :  he  longed  to  depart ;  but,  as  he  once  wrote — 
"  God  had  still  something  for  him  to  doy  if  it  were  only 
to  suffer." 

Many  were  the  prayers  offered  by  ministers  of  his 
own  and  other  denominations,  and  many  the  hymns 
sung  at  his  bedside. 

His  grandson,  John  Haskell,  has  preserved  in 
writing — what  he  treasured  in  his  heart — the  words 
of  faith  and  trust  that  fell  from  the  lips  of  his  grand- 
father. 

The  columns  of  the  Lutheran  Visitor,  kept  the 
Church  informed  of  Dr.  Bachman's  condition,  and 
the  daily  mails  brought  letters  of  inquiry  and  sym- 
pathy from,  his  brethren  in  the  Ministry. 

We  select  one  from  the  late  J.  A.  Brown,  D.  D. 

GETTYSBURG,  PA.,  Aug.  14th,  1871. 
My  venerated  friend  and  father  in  Christ :     The 
dark  chasm  of  ten  years  often  disappears  and  reveals 


408  John  Bachman. 

to  me  the  cherished  scenes  and  memories  of  our 
brief  association  in  the  South.  Since  the  return  of 
peace,  I  have,  times  out  of  number,  thought  of  writ- 
ing to  you.  A  letter  in  the  "  Lutheran  Visitor"  has 
touched  my  heart  anew,  and  I  cannot  resist  the  im- 
pulse to  drop  you  a  line  before  you  depart  where  I 
hope  "  we  shall  meet  in  the  sweet  by  and  by." 

The  uppermost  feeling  in  writing,  is  to  assure  you 
of  my  undiminished  regard  and  of  tenderest  affec- 
tion, which  no  change  of  circumstances  or  lapse  of 
time  can  or  will  disturb.  Your  kindness  to  me  and 
mine,  will  never  be  forgotten — you  live  in  all  our 
memories. 

I  do  not  know  that  I  can  write  anything  that  will. 
be  of  special  interest  to  you. 

If  it  will  be  any  satisfaction  to  receive  the  hearty 
assurance  of  our  warmest  affection,  with  the  hope  of 
our  meeting  beyond  the  turmoils  of  life,  you  have 
it ;  at  least  it  will  be  some  little  satisfaction  to  me  to 
convey  to  you  the  evidence  of  my  devoted  friend- 
ship. 

It  would  be  presumption  for  me  to  say  anything 
about  your  "blessed  hope"  or  "the  house  of  many  man- 
sions" I  would  be  glad  to  learn  something  from 
one  who  has  so  long  walked  "  by  faith  "  and  is  now 
so  near  "  the  rest  that  remaineth"  I  can  only  say 
"  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  a  crown  of  righteous- 
ness" 

I  will  not  dwell  on  the  memories  of  the  past — 
either  those  which  are  bright,  or  those  which  are 
dark  and  sad.  Our  motto  must  be:  "forgetting  the 
things  which  are  behind"  I  think  of  you  only  as  my 
venerated  friend  and  father  in  Christ. 

We  are  all  well,  trying  to  do  something  for  our 
beloved  Church.  Mrs.  B.  still  thinks  and  speaks  of 
you  with  a  daughter's  affection.  God  has  been 
gracious  to  us — we  are  eight,  with  parents,  ten.  If 


Old  Friends.  409 

able,  I  shall  be  glad  of  a  line  from  you,  if  not,  with 
Ood's  blessing,  good-by,  until  we  meet. 
Yours  in  Christ, 

J.  A.  B. 
To  J.  A.  BROWN,  D.  D. : 

CHARLESTON,  Sept.  llth.  1871. 

My  dear  Friend :  Age  that  has  given  me  the 
hoary  head,  has  weakened  my  memory,  and  seems 
to  have  left  me  very  little  at  the  close  of  a  long  life, 
but  a  grateful  heart  and  kind  and  tender  remem- 
brances of  mercies  and  friendships.  Time  has  not 
banished  you  or  your  dear  wife  from  my  affections, 
or  obliterated  from  my  memory  our  brief  and  pleas- 
ant association  in  other  years.  We  are  pilgrims 
hastening  to  a  better  land,  and  we  have  need  of 
friendships  to  cheer  us  on  the  way.  In  a  very  little 
while  we  shall  have  come  to  the  end  of  our  journey — 
mine  is  nearly  reached.  I  trust  to  be  able  to  say, 
41  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace.'' — 
and  1  feel,  friend  Brown,  that  a  man  as  conscientious 
in  duty,  as  I  know  you  to  be,  will  be  prepared  for 
an  exchange  of  worlds. 

May  God  bless  you  and  yours  to  the  end.  Of  this 
I  am  sure  that  on  your  journey ,you  will  never  meet 
with  one  who  more  heartily  wishes  you  prosperity 
and  happiness  than 

Your  friend  and  father  in  Christ,          J.  B. 

John  Haskell,  in  his  letters  and  diary  gives  us 
glimpses  of  those  days. 

To  DR.  RUDE: 

July,  1871. 

"I  never  leave  the  house  now,  except  to  go  to 
school,  (he  was  teaching),  and  to  drive  out  in  the 
afternoons  with  grandfather.  To-day  is  Saturday, 


410  John  Bachman. 

and  I  can  be  with  him  all  day.  He  is  doing  well 
gaining  a  little  strength,  and  is  able  to  drive  out 
every  day.  Unhappily,  in  the  mornings,  we  have 
to  contend  with  him  to  keep  him  from  going  in  the 
hot  sun  to  inquire  after  the  sick.  The  Doctor,  when 
he  was  here  this  morning,  spoke  plainly  to  him,  and 
forbade  him  to  expose  himself  to  the  heat  of  the  day. 
He  has  quietly  acquiesced,  and  I  have  been  reading 
to  him  "  Audubon's  Ornithology." 

You  write  that  I  am  studying  Pastoral  Theology 
in  my  grandfather's  chamber.*  I  am  glad  of  it ;  if 
it  were  allowed  me,  I  should  like  not  only  to  learn : 
to  fight  like  old  Luther,  but  also  to  soothe  like  Mel-' 
anchthon.  * 

We  are  looking  for  you  to  come  to  us  early  next : 
week.  Every  day  grandfather  asks,  "  When  will 
Rude  be  here?"  he  has  repeated  the  question  at 
least  six  times  to-day.  Last  night  he  said,  "  Rude 
has  as  much  in  his  little  finger,  as  six  ordinary  men 
have  in  their  whole  craniums." 

With  returning  strength  the  restless  craving  for 
work  steadily  increased.  Fortunately,  this  was  in  a 
great  measure  satisfied  by  his  large  correspondence. 
Receiving  and  answering  letters  became  the  business 
of  his  mornings  and,  probably  this  preserved  the- 
brightness  of  his  mind.  The  judgment  and  the 
will  were  often  at  fault ;  but  the  affections  and  the 
memory  continued  singularly  strong. 

*During  Dr.  Bachman's  pastorate,  ten  young  men  from 
St.  John's,  were  trained  for  the  Holy  Ministry: 

John  G.  Schwartz,  William  D.  Strobel,  Philip  A.  Strobel, 
Stephen  A.  Mealy,  Elias  B.  Hort,  John  P.  Margart, 
Thacldeus  S.  Boinest,  Edwin  A.  Bolles,  James  P.  Ring,, 
JohnB.  Haskell.  ; 


Reminiscences  of  Youth.  411 

••  Not  long  before  his  illness,  he  had  received  letters 
from  Milestown,  Pa.,  which  interested  him  greatly. 

While  a  student  of  Theology,  he  had  taught  a  year 
at  Milestown. 

We  give  extracts  from  two  letters  in  reply  to  Mrs. 
Annie  de  B.  M. 

Your  letter  was  a  great  cordial  to  me,  and  I  feel 
happy  in  being  permitted  to  answer  it.  Writing  is 
no  fatigue  to  me,  as  I  have  always  willing  hands 
and  affectionate  hearts  to  assist  me.  * 

Your  second  letter  informed  me  that  nearly  all 
whom  I  knew  and  loved  in  Milestown,  have  been 
called  away :  yet  the  scenes  of  my  youth  are  still  fresh 
in  my  mind  and  your  letters  have,  in  some  measure, 
enabled  me  to  renew  the  enjoyments  of  other  years, 
and  to  look  again  in  thought  and  memory  on  the 
countenances  of  those  who  were  dear  to  me  in  youth. 

%  JH******** 

The  older  I  grow  the  stronger  I  find  my  attach- 
ments to  early  friends — A  voice  from  Milestown,  has 
opened  a  new  fountain  of  thought  and  pleasure.  I 
have  fancied  myself  again  near  the  old  school  and 
along  the  Milestown  road,  shaded  by  immense 
cherry  trees  which,  I  presume,  are  no  longer  there. 

The  little  Paradise — the  home  of  your  grand- 
parents, which  you  now  occupy — the  large  and  beau- 
tiful garden  where  your  grandmother  cultivated  her 
flowers,  the  roomy  house  where  she  welcomed  her 
friends,  can  only  be  erased  from  my  mind,  when 
memory  shall  be  gone  and  thoughts  of  earth  have 
passed  away. 

The  garden  was  close  to  the  dwelling,  and  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  I  had  at  that  time  seen  ;  her 
tulips,  narcissus,  anemones,  etc.,  cultivated  by  her 
own  hand,  were  full  of  fragrance  and  beauty — the 


412  John  Bachman. 

passion  for  flowers  is  contagious,  and  I  found  it  had 
extended  to  several  others  in  the  neighborhood.  *  * 
Your  grandfather's  photograph,  which  you  so 
kindly  sent  me.  is  a  very  great  treasure.  *  *  Oh, 
how  I  would  prize  the  photograph  of  your  grand- 
mother, who  was  so  much  of  a  mother  to  me,  when 
I  was  far  from  my  own  home.  I  imagine  I  still  see 

her  gentle,  quiet  face,  and  hear  her  sweet  welcome. 
***** 

My  personal  history  connected  with  my  visit  to 
Pennsylvania  is  short,  and  scarcely  worth  relating. 

I  had  intended  to  defray  my  own  expenses  while 
studying  for  the  ministry.  I  remained  at  Milestown, 
I  think,  a  year;  at  Frankfort,  not  quite  so  long, 
until  my  studies  were  so  far  completed  that  I  ac  - 
cepted  a  call  from  three  congregations  in  my  native 
county,  Rennsellaer,  where  I  hoped  to  spend  the 
rest  of  my  days  as  a  country  parson.  * 

I  have  some  pleasant  reminiscences  of  the  old 
school  house  at  Milestown  (Elwood).  It  was  there 
that  Wilson,  the  ornithologist,  first  tried  his  hand 
as  a  pedagogue,  and  it  was  there  that  William  Dun- 
can, his  nephew,  succeeded  him.  I  met  them  both 
at  Philadelphia,  and  they  advised  me  to  accept  the- 
offer  made  me  from  Milestown. 

The  old  school  house  was  a  large  one-story  build- 
ing, that  appeared  to  have  been  enlarged  from  time 
to  time,  not  simply  to  accommodate  the  growing 
school,  but  to  hold  a  congregation  of  worshipers 
that  were  collected  together  there  as  often  as  some 
stray  clergyman,  of  any  denomination,  happened  to 
visit  the  neighborhood. 

The  teachers  successively  boarded  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Gulp,  situated  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the 
school  house.  The  pupils  were  of  both  sexes,  and 
of  all  sizes  and  ages.  The  higher  branches,  although 
taught,  were  not  much  relished.  A  small  class  in 


Milestown.  413 

Latin,  one  in  French,  and  one  in  German,  were,  with 
great  difficulty,  kept  up  during  my.short  stay.  We 
got  up  a  debating  society,  which  lasted  as  long  as  I 
remained  in  the  neighborhood.  I  do  not  remember 
the  names  of  the  teachers  in  Elwood  school,  beyond 
those  of  Wilson  and  Duncan. 

AVilson  visited  us  occasionally  from  Philadelphia, 
and  I  always  joined  him  on  Saturdays  in  looking 
for  specimens  in  Ornithology,  but  without  success, 
until  I  subsequently  reached  the  Northern  part  of  my 
own  State  (New  York).  Wilson's  nephew,  Duncan, 
although  shy  and  diffident,  was  rather  a  superior 
man — mild,  amiable  and  pious.  He  spent  a  week 
with  me  among  my  people  in  the  Northern  part  of 
New  York,  and  left  with  me  a  drawing,  in  India- 
ink,  of  the  old  school  house,  which  had  been  the 
scene  of  so  many  pleasures  and  pains. 

Sixty  years  must  have  effected  a  great  change 
among  those  people.  Milestown,  as  far  as  I  can  now 
recollect,  then  scarcely  contained  more  than  twenty 
houses.  I  presume,  by  this  time,  the  old  York  road, 
as  well  as  that  of  Germantown,  on  the  other  side,  is 
studded  with  houses  and  thickly  populated. 

When  our  young  people  went  to  church  on  Sun- 
days, they  either  walked  to  Germantown  on  the  one 
side,  or  to  Frankfort  on  the  other.  There  was  great 
simplicity  of  manners  in  the  neighborhood,  and  we 
did  not  often  hear  of  any  act  of  immorality. 

Mr.  Gulp's  house  (where  I  boarded)  was  not  only 
open  to  the  waggoner  and  traveller,  but  was  also  a 
weaving  establishment,  and  the  pond,  not  far  from 
the  house,  contained  a  chocolate  mill. 

There  were  a  few  tradesmen ;  there  were  small 
farms  around  the  village,  and  fruits  in  small  quan- 
tities were  cultivated;  but  very  little  had  been  done 
that  indicated  much  improvement.  *  *  * 

The  names  of  persons  living  in  the  neighborhood 
18 


414  John  Bachman. 

at  that  time  are  tolerably  fresh  in  my  recollection. 
Your  cousins,  the  Thomas's, were  my  associates;  I 
was  most  intimate  with  the  mother  and  the  two 
elder  daughters — the  second  of  them  a  gentle,  timid 
and  lovely  little  creature,  died  while  I  was  there, 
and  I  assisted  at  her  funeral.  The  Leach  family, 
residing  some  few  miles  above  Milestown,  were  my 
personal  friends.  Do  you  remember  a  family  by  the 
name  of  Peaky  ?  The  old  mother  had  caught  the 
infection  for  plants  from  your  grandmother,  and 
had  an  enormous  Century  Plant  (Agave)  which  oc- 
cupied nearly  the  whole  room.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Ten- 
nant  and  his  wife,  (Rev.  T.  was  the  last  of  a  cele- 
brated family  of  Presbyterian  ministers)  I  was  in 
the  habit  of  visiting  on  Sundays  and  attending  the 
services  of  the  Church  with  them.  We  have  a  small 
branch  of  the  same  family  residing  here.  * 

My  inclination  is  sufficiently  disposed  to  comply 
with  your  kind  invitation  to  visit  old  Milestown 
once  more;  but  alas!  my  travelling  days  are  rapidly 
drawing  to  a  close.  I  hope  to  have  strength  enough 
to  visit  a  son  who  is  residing  in  Georgia,  after  which 
I  shall  be  prepared,  I  trust,  for  my  journey  home 
to  that  better  world  where,  washed  from  imperfec- 
tion, we  shall  dwell  with  the  pure  and  perfect  at 
God's  right  hand.  *  *  * 

The  journey  to  his  son's  home  was  not  accom- 
plished. He  was  again  stricken  with  paralysis 
before  it  could  be  undertaken. 

In  September  he  had  sufficiently  recovered  to 
permit  his  grandson,  John  Haskell,  to  leave  his  side 
for  his  first  visit  to  the  North.  We  find  an  almost 
daily  correspondence  between  his  grandfather  and 
himself.  Shcrt  letters  in  which  the  old  Patriarch 


Paralysis.  415 

pours  out  to  his  young  relative,  the  wealth  of  his. 
tender  love — addressing  him  no  longer  as  a  grand- 
eon,  but  as  "  my  dear  son"  Among  John  Haskell's- 
papers,  we  find  preserved  the  parting  prayer  offered 
by  his  grandfather  on  that  occasion. 

To  J.  B.  HASKELL  : 

Sept.  16th,  71. 

Few  sons  are  privileged  to  receive  almost  every 
day  a  letter  from  a  father:  you  must  take  it  as  an 
evidence  of  my  deep  affection  for  you. 

I  am  glad  that  you  are  well  and  happy.  Let  me 
advise  you,  if  you  wish  to  keep  in  the  good  graces 
of  the  home-folk,  old  and  young,  to  keep  them  well 
posted  with  regard  to  all  that  interests  you. 

Give  my  kindest  remembrance  to  every  member 
of  the  Audubon  family.  The  names  of  Audubon 
and  Bach  man  are  closely  connected  in  science — the 
two  men  worked  together  pleasantly  and  harmoni- 
ously. 

My  health  continues  feeble,  but  I  am  thankful  to 
our  kind  Father  in  heaven  who  has  preserved  my 
life  for  so  many  years. 

I  look  to  the  atoning  blood  of  my  Saviour  for  the 
pardon  of  my  sins  and  the  salvation  of  my  soul : 
and,  if  we  can  believe  that  God  will  save  our  souls, 
surely  we  can  trust  in  His  mercy  for  all  the  rest. 

Your  studies  I  have  deeply  at  heart.  Your  tastes- 
lie  in  a  literary  direction  and  you  are  well  calculated 
for  your  chosen  profession — Theology.  Look  up  to 
your  God  and  be  fervent  in  prayer.  Let  nothing 
divert  you  from  your  high  aims.  Let  your  Heav- 
enly Father  ever  be  your  director  and  guide.  You 
see  how  anxious  I  am  about  you,  my  son.  My  fer- 
vent prayers  and  my  best  and  last  counsel  is  yours. 
You  have  heard  of  your  uncle  Wilson's  recent 


416  John  Bachman. 

trial — all  his  possessions  destroyed  by  fire.  I  am 
glad  that  his  losses  occurred  before  my  death,  that 
I  might  do  the  little  in  my  power  to  assist  him. 
It  comforts  me  to  feel  assured  that  we  often  learn 
more  from  adversity  than  from  prosperity. 

Your  affectionate  grandfather,          J.  B. 

To  A.  R.  RUDE,  D.  D. :  (Professor  of  Theology.) 

"  I  have  for  some  time  thought  of  writing  to  you 
with  regard  to  John  Haskell,  his  studies  and  pur: 
.suits.  I  ifrdulge  the  hope  that  if  his  life  is  spared, 
lie  will  give  his  energy  and  talents  to  the  Church, 
.and,  at  present,  I  see  no  obstacle  to  prevent  the  same. 
I  desire  to  place  him  under  your  care  as  his  teacher^ 
adviser  and  friend.  I  do  not  know  how  long  a  wise 
Providence  may  permit  him  the  privilege  of  study- 
ing under  you,  but  I  do  know  that  you  will  en- 
deavor to  impart  to  him  your  best  instruction  ano! 
advice,  and  I  feel  confident,  that  his  course  will  bej 
such  as  will  render  him  a  credit  to  you  and  an  orna- 
ment to  the  Church  of  his  forefathers.  He  is  the 
subject  of  daily  thought,  conversation  and  prayer, 
I  rejoice  in  the  hope  that  when  I  am  no  longer  on 
^arth,  I  shall  have  left  a  grandson  in  the  ministry. 

With  best  wishes,  my  dear  friend,  for  your  pros- 
perity, usefulness  and  happiness. 

I  remain,  faithfully  your  friend,  J.  B. 

JOHN  HASKELL  TO  HIS  GRANDFATHER: 

AUDUBON  PARK,  Sept.  1st,  71. 
"  I  fear,  my  dear  grandfather,  that  I  have  n'ot  sent 
you  as  many  letters  as  I  should,  but  I  think  often 
of  you — indeed  seldom  have  you  long  out  of 
m}7  mind.  I  have  given  the  news  and  my  imprest 
.sions  of  many  things  in  other  letters,  all  of  which 
were  to  be  read  to  you.  I  am  enjoying  myself  just 


Letters  to  His  Grandson.  417 

as  much  as  you  could  desire,  and  it  would  please 
you  to  look  in  upon  me  and  see  me  well  and  happy. 
I  have  seen  many  interesting  relics  of  Audubon,  the 
Naturalist,  and  many  happy  traces  of  you.  I  have 
met  people  Who  knew  you,  and  if  I  had  a  little  time 
to  spare,  should  searcli  out  your  relatives.  I  have 
seen  much  of  men  and  things  since  I  left  you,  and 
shall  take  away  with  me  many  pleasant  impressions. 
The  Audubons  have  treated  me  in  the  kindest  man-, 
ner  possible,  and  even  strangers  have  shown  me 
unexpected  hospitality.  *  *  * 

While  I  am  enjoying  myself  I  am  not  unmindful 
of  higher  things. 

(  This  is  only  a  little  note  written  while  I  am  wait- 
ing to  go  by  train  to  the  city — a  Mr.  W.  has  been  my 
guide  to  the  famous  *'  Gold-room  "  with  its  Bulls 
and  Bears,  also  to  the  Equitable  Insurance  Building 
and  to  the  Elevated  Railroad,  where  we  looked  down 
upon  the  moving  mass  below  us.  *  *  I  shall  have 
much  to  tell  you  when  we  meet.  In  haste. 

Your  loving  grandson,  J.  B.  H. 

To  HIS  GRANDSON. 

CHARLESTON,  Sept.  1871. 

•  My  dear  Son — It  is  a  great  pleasure  for  me  to 
write  to  you  ;  lately  I  have  had  an  impression  that 
your  letters,  like  angels'  visits,  are  not  frequent,  but 
when  they  do  come,  though  they  do  contain  a  little 
nonsense,  they  are  most  acceptable.  Rest  a  little 
now  and  recreate,  and  you  will  be  the  better  able  to 
carry  on  vour  studies. 

Let  us  hear  constantly  fioin  you,  I  want  to  know 
what  impression  new  scenes  make  upon  your  mind ; 
but  above  all,  I  crave  to  know  from  you  that  your 
heart  is  fixed,  and  that  you  will  allow  nothing 
to  divert  you  from  the  high  aim  you  have  proposed 


418  John  Bachman. 

to  yourself,  viz,  the  study  of  the  ministry.  Your 
chosen  profession  involves  a  nobler  estate  than  any 
earthly  field.  When  I  am  no  longer  here,  remem- 
ber, John,  I  confidently  expect  that  you  will  tread  in 
my  footsteps;  you  possess  more  than  a  moderate 
share  of  talent  and  many  advantages.  Improve  them 
all.  To  God  I  commit  you;  without  His  aid  and 
blessing  you  can  do  nothing,  with  it  you  may  ac- 
complish almost  any  thing;  prepare  yourself  not 
only  to  become  a  good  preacher,  but  also  a  faithful 
pastor.  Let  us  remain  solid  Lutherans,  as  firm  as 
old  Martin  himself — we  must  be  instructed  by  tho 
example  of  our  forefathers.  Lean  upon  the  arm  of 
God  ;  be  faithful  to  duty,  and  He  will  bless  and  guide 
you.  Your  affectionate  grandfather,  J.  B. 

JOHN  HASKELL,  in  reply. 

COLUMBIA,  Sept.  18th,  1871. 

My  dear  Grandfather — I  send  you,  as  usual,  a 
daily  line.  I  shall  soon  turn  my  face  homewards.  I 
have  much  to  tell  you  of  deep  interest — God  has 
been  good  to  me  in  every  way.  I  have  received 
your  precious  letters  and  dearly  appreciate  them.  *  * 

My  heart  is  full  of  gratitude  for  the  opportunity 
and  privilege  to  study  for  the  Ministry.  He  gives 
me  all  that  I  ask  for,  and  when  He  denies,  I  trust 
that  I  shall  realize  that  it  is  because,  with  so  many 
blessings,  it  is  but  just  that  I  should  have  my  share 
of  trials. 

I  am  gaining  much  by  being  with  Dr.  Rude. 
Whenever  I  go  to  his  room,  he  gives  me  somo 
work  to  do,  and  I  am  glad  to  help  him.  I  expect  to 
spend  a  great  deal  of  time  in  his  study.  lie  has 
presented  me  with  a  most  valuable  book  "  The  Con- 
servative Reformation"  by  Krauth,  which  ho  says, 
will  be  a  text-book  for  Lutheran  Theology — I  in- 


An  Old  Friend.  419 

tend  to  make  good  use  of  it.  He  has  lent  me  Max 
Muller's,  "  Chips  from  a  German  Workshop"  which  I 
am  reading  with  deep  interest. 

It  gives  me  joy  to  hear  that  your  health  is 
improving.  I  think  of  you  a  great  deal,  and  have 
imagined  or  dreamed,  more  than  once,  that  I  heard 
you  calling  me  in  the  night. 

I  have  written  at  Dr.  R.'s  request,  two  or  three 
articles  for  The  Lutheran  Visitor,  and  have  copied 
out  some  old  addresses,  &c.,  which,  when  you  read, 
you  will  recognize.  Dr.  R.  has  encouraged  me 
greatly ;  he  says  that  I  am  a  good  writer  and  a 
sprightly  one ;  that  I  am  to  lay  in  knowledge  and  I 
shall  do  well.  I  do  not  take  this  as  praise,  hut 
simply  a  truth  that  God  has  given  me  some  gifts 
that  I  may  use  in  His  service — if  one  talent,  then  I 
must  work  hard  to  make  it  tell ;  if  more,  I  must 
work  very  hard,  for  more  will  be  required  of  me. 
Aunt  Julia  B.  tells  me  that  I  have  what  she  calls 
the  Bach  man  characteristic  of  (knowingly)  not 
troubling  myself  for  the  future — but  trusting;  if  it 
be  so,  I  am  thankful  and  glory  in  the  inheritance. 
Give  me  your  blessing,  my  grandfather,  that  it  may 
act  on  me  and  re-act  on  yourself.  God  is  taking 
good  care  of  us  all. 

With  much  love  to  you,  to  the  one  who  reads  this 
to  you — and  to  all. 

I  am  ever,  your  loving  grandson,         JOHN. 

To  JOHN  S.  FAKE,  ESQ.,  President  of  National  Ex- 
change Bank,  of  Lansington,  N.  Y. : 
Mr.    Fake's   sister   had    married  Dr.  Bachman's 

brother,  Henry. 

CHARLESTON,  Sept.  8th,  1871. 
My  Dear  Sir:     lam   under  the  impression  that 

you  and  I  are  almost  the  only  survivors  of  a  large 

congregation  and  of  many  tried  friendships* 


420  John  Bachman. 

We  once  walked  together,  worshiped  together, 
and  prayed  together;  now  many  hundreds  of  miles 
separate  us  from  each  other.  It  is  but  natural  that, 
we  should  like  to  hear  from  each  other  in  this  world, 
and  I  shall  be  very  happy  if  you  would  devote  an 
hour  or  two  to  writing  to  me. 

All  the  members  of  my  old  congregation  at  Schag- 
ticoke,  I  presume,  have  been  removed  to  their  rest 
and  reward. 

A  good  God  has  long  spared  my  life;  I  am. 
paralyzed,  but  suffer  no  pain.  I  am  nearly  eighty- 
two  years  of  age,  and  am  preparing  for  that  last 
change  that  must  come  to  all — with  regard  to  my: 
prospects  for  eternity,  my  assured  hope  is  in  the: 
atoning  sacrifice  of  my  Saviour. 

Since  I  last  wrote  you,  few  changes  have  taken 
place  in  my  family.  I  have  one  son  in  Columbia, 
practicing  law,  another  a  farmer  and  nurseryman  in 
Georgia.  I  have  around  me  two  married  and  one 
single  daughter  ministering  to  my  comfort..  I  have, 
seventeen  grandchildren,  and  two  great-grand- 
children living. 

One  grandson  is  about  to  study  for  the  ministry — 

he  is  a  great  source  of  comfort  and  pleasure  to  me. 

#  *  #  #  #  #  * 

May  God  bless  you,  prepare  you  for  your  duties 
and  trials  on  earth,  and  the  rewards  of  the  just  be- 
yond the  grave.  I  hope  to  meet  you  in  that  bright 
and  happy  world  above. 

Truly  and  ever,  your  friend,        J.  B. 

To  REV.  T.  W.  DOSH,  of  Virginia,  who  had  been 
elected  assistant  Pastor  of  St.  John's,  Charleston :. 

CHARLESTON,  Nov.  15th,  1871. 
My  dear  Friend  and  Brother:  Your   very   wel- 
come letter  of  acceptance  of  the  call  extended  to  you. 


Letters  to  Rev.  Dr.  Dosh.  421 

% 

by  my  vestry  and  congregation,  has  drawn  you  very 
near  my  heart. 

We  are  to  be  connected  by  intimate  ties — you  are 
to  be  to  me  more  than  a  brother — to  engage  in 
labors  that  once  were  mine.  I  pledge  myself  to  do 
the  little  in  my  power  to  render  your  labors  pleas- 
ant and  satisfactory.  As  good  Lutherans,  our  sole 
aim  shall  be  to  advance  the  best  interests  of  the 
cause  which  we  both  love ;  and  when  our  work  on 
earth  is  ended,  may  we  be  fitted  to  enter  into  that 
rest  prepared  for  the  people  of  God. 

I  shall  anxiously  await  your  arrival,  and,  if  my 
life  is  spared,  welcome  you  and  your  dear  family 
with  an  open  heart. 

Truly  and  devotedly  your  friend,  J.  B. 

To  THE  SAME  : 

CHARLESTON,  Dec.  20th,  1871. 

In  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  your  kind  letter 
of  November  28th,  in  which  you  appoint  the  10th 
of  January  as  the  time  of  your  arrival  among  us,  I 
cannot  but  express  to  you" the  pleasure  it  gives  me 
to  know  that  you  will  so  soon  be  in  our  midst. 

My  mind  has  been  greatly  relieved  by  your  ac- 
ceptance of  the  call  from  our  Church.  I  feel  that  I 
can  place  fall  confidence  in  you.  I  hope  and  believe 
that  your  coming  to  us  will  be  productive  of  much 
good  to  the  Church. 

I  have  but  a  single  request  to  make,  which,  I 
trust,  you  will  not  think  unreasonable.  My  desire 
is  that  you,  with  every  member  of  your  family,  may 
consider  yourselves  pledged  to  dine  with  me  on  the 
first  day  of  your  arrival,  or  as  soon  after  as  may  be 
convenient  and  agreeable  to  you,  so  that  you  may 
dine  at  my  house  before  you  accept  an  invitation 
from  .any  one  else  in  Charleston.  Come  to  us,  we 


422  John  Bachman. 

will  welcome  you  with   our  whole  hearts.      With 
kind  wishes  for  yourself  and  family, 

Your  friend  and  aged  brother  in  Christ,     J.  B. 

The  illness  and  death  of  Dr.  Dosh's  youngest 
child  detained  him  in  Winchester.  On  the  8th  of 
February  he  reached  Charleston  ;  the  day  after  his 
arrival  the  wish  of  the  old  Pastor  of  St.  John's  was 
gratified — the  families  dined  together  in  his  home. 
Experienced  in  the  school  of  suffering,  he  had  ready 
words  of  Christian  sympathy  for  the  bereaved  fam- 
ily. The  close  relation  established  between  the  two 
pastors  from  the  beginning,  remained  uninterrupted 
to  the  end. 

During  the  following  months  we  find  the  record 
of  many  visits  paid  by  Dr.  Bachman.  He  would 
stop  at  the  door  of  his  parishioners ;  in  a  few  minutes 
the  grandmother  and  mother,  with  the  baby,  would 
come  out  to  welcome  him.  Sometimes  his  com- 
panion would  resign  her  seat  to  an  invalid  to  whom 
he  desired  to  give  the  fresh  air.  Month  after  month 
peacefully  glided  away.  He  had  entered  his  eighty- 
third  year.  The  absent  members  of  his  family,  on 
his  birthday,  sent  him  letters  of  congratulation,  and 
in  the  home,  friends  united  with  the  family  in  cele- 
brating the  day  appropriately. 

Alluding  to  this  time,  the  Spring  of  1872,  John 
Haskell  wrote :  "  Among  the  very  last  acts  of  my 
grandfather's  life,  was  taking  part  in  the  Ladies 
Society  of  St.  John's.  Riding  in  his  carriage  to  the 
place  of  meeting,  and  being  borne  into  the  room, 
here  he  sat  joyous  among  his  heart's  children.  Hd 


Another  Sorrow.  423 

opened  the  meeting  with  his  short,  but  fervent 
prayer.  The  little  children  gathered  around  him 
to  kiss  the  aged  cheek  and  nestle  near  the  cherished 
form." 

On  the  12th  of  June,  a  blow  came  to  the  heart  of 
John  Bachman,  from  which  he  never  rallied — the 
death,  after  twenty-four  hours'  illness,  of  his  son-in- 
law,  Mr.  William  E.  Haskell,  who,  like  a  devoted 
son,  had  watched  over  his  declining  years.  He  did 
not  murmur,  but  his  mind  seemed  utterly  over- 
whelmed by  the  mysterious  Providence  that  had  left 
the  aged  man,  who  earnestly  longed  to  depart,  and 
had  removed  the  younger — the  active  worker,  upon 
whom  so  many  depended. 

John  Haskell  rose  from  a  bed  of  sickness,  and,  with 
the  strength  of  unselfish  love,  endeavored  to  fill  up 
the  gap.  With  a  tenderness  akin  to  angel  ministry, 
he  sought,  and  not  in  vain,  to  soothe  and  support 
the  aged  sufferer,  who  looked  up  to  and  leaned  upon 
him-*-for  "  the  almond  tree  "  was  beginning  "  to  flour- 
ish and  desire  to  fail."  The  notes  of  the  singing  bird 
no  longer  attracted  his  attention— all  was  a  blank 
now — save  the  voice  of  a  friend,  and  the  name  of 
Jesus. 

Another  birthday  (4th  February),  and  again 
another,  was  quietly  celebrated  in  his  home,  and  the 
love-offerings  called  forth  grateful  smiles.  His  de- 
cline was  so  gradual  that  his  family  were  scarcely 
conscious  of  it,  until  the  twelfth  of  February,  1874. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 
THE   CLOSE    OF    LIFE. 

FROM  JOHN  HASKELL'S  DIARY — FROM  DR.  WIGHTMAN — DR.  A.  R. 
RUDE— J,  F.  FICKEN,  ESQ. — MEMORIAL  SERVICES —LINES  BY 
PROF.  W.  J.  RIVERS— BACHMAN  ENDOWMENT  FUND— MURAL 
TABLET  IN  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  _ 

7~T ROM  John  HaskeWs  Journal: 

r 

Thursday,  February  12th,  1874.  I  went  to  my 
grandfather's  chamber  at  8  A.  M.  He  was  seated  in 
his  large  arm-chair,  where,  at  his  request,  he  had 
been  placed  at  4  A.  M.  I  spoke  to  him  but  he  did 
not  answer.  We  saw  that  he  had  been  stricken 
anew  with  paralysis. 

Friday  and  Saturday.  He  remains  in  a  complete 
lethargy. 

Sunday  15th.  This  morning  grandfather  revived  ; 
his  physicians  pronounce  that  though  the  attack  is 
over,  he  has  not  the  strength  to  rally  from  it. 

Miss  Maria  H.,  (the  late  Mrs.  R.  G.  Chisolm)  was 
with  us,  she  sang  "  Gently,  Lord,  0  gently  lead  us"  and 
we  joined  in — as  the  singers  sang  hymn  after  .hymn, 
he  would  say,  "  sing,  yes,  sing"  It  was  a  solemn  and 
touching  scene,  and  we  were  all  .moved  to  tears.  I 
asked  "  Shall  I  read  the  Psalms  ?"  He  answered 
"Yes!  "  I  read  the  XCIst— "  He  that  dwelleth  in  the 
secret  place  of  the  Most  High,  shall  abide  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Almighty;"  and  the  last  chapters  from 


The  Last  Illness.  425 

Revelations.  While  Aunt  C.  read  hymns  to  him  he 
repeated,  in  faltering  accents,  the  familiar  stanzas. 

Monday.     There  is  little  change. 

Tuesday.  He  is  lying  calm  and  peaceful,  listening 
to  passages  from  the  Scriptures  and  hymns. 

Wednesday.  He  is  peacefully  sleeping  away  his 
life  into  the  arms  of  the  Eternal. 

Thursday.  At  one  o'clock  this  morning,  grand- 
father's brow  and  cheeks  were  cold,  we  thought  him 
nearing  his  departure,  but  while  we  gazed  he 
opened  his  eyes  and  put  his  hand  to  his  head.  I 
asked,  ''Doyou  know  me?"  He  answered  clearly 
"Yes  " — and  my  heart  poured  itself  out  in  thanks- 
giving to  God  for  His  tender  mercy  in  comforting 
me.  He  looked  inquiringly  at  Mr.  F.  who  said,  "  it 
is  John  Ficken.  We  cannot  forget  to  come  to  see  our 
dear  old  pastor."  Mr.  Henry  Steinmeyer  spoke  to 
him,  he  moved  his  lips,  but  we  could  not  catch  what 
he  said. 

FROM  A.  R.  RUDE,  D.  D. 

COLUMBIA,  Feb.  19th,  1874. 

Let  the  pilgrim  go  home  to  rest — to  joy — to  Him, 
who  will  crown  his  good  and  faithful  servant.  How 
providential  was  my  last  visit  to  Charleston  (to  ad- 
minister the  Holy  Sacrament).  His  farewell  kiss 
lingers  on  my  lips  and  sanctifies  them. 

I  shall  come  when  you  summon  me. 

From  John  Haskell's  Journal  : 

Friday  20th.     Grandfather  has  taken  a  little  nour 
ishment.     During   the  day  I  read  to  him  the  259th 


426  John  Bachman. 

hymn  (Book  of  Worship).  After  reading  the  line 
"Trust  in  the  mercy 'of  thy  God"  I  asked,  "  Do  you 
trust  only  in  the  Lord  Jesus  ?"  The  answer  came 
— "  Yes  " — clear  and  loud,  all  in  the  room  heard  it. 
Thanks  be  to  God  for  all  the  abundant  testimony  to 
His  glorious  Gospel ! 

Revds.  Honour  and  Bowman  came  in.  Mr. 
Honour  asked  "  Shall  I  read  to  you  ?"  he  answered 
in  the  affirmative,  and  his  favorite  hymns  were 
selected.  Then  we  sang — the  whole  family  were  in 
the  room.  It  was  a  blessed  scene  ^ind  I  pray  God 
that  it  may  be  sanctified  to  us  all. 

From  Rev.  Dr.   Wightman. 

li  I  knew  Dr.  Bachman  long,  loved  him  well,  and 
was  honored  with  a  place  at  his  bedside.  He  called 
no  man  "father ;"  but  as  an  independent  Christian 
philosopher,  he  brought  into  harmony  the  moral 
and  material  universe,  and  then  fearlessly,  in  the 
very  face  of  so-called  science,  pronounced  his  deci- 
sions in  favor  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ.  How 
ought  such  a  man  to  die?  There  he  lay  on  his 
couch  serene  and  beautiful,  with  his  white  locks 
falling  over  his  temples,  and  with  a  loving  family 
caressingly  gathered  around  his  pillow.  Though 
the  great  intellect  had  already  set,  yet  the  twilight 
before  the  approaching  night,  was  so  calm  and  sweet 
and  radiant  with  the  lingering  light  of  a  life  spent 
for  Christ,  that  the  scene  ot  that  death-bed  appeared 
to  be  just  under  the  shadow  of  heaven." 

The  flowers  he  loved  best  were  placed  near  him ; 
his  chamber  was  not  darkened — only  the  glare  of 
light  shut  out.  As  he  lay  there  "  under  the  shadow 


The  Last  Days.  427 

of  heaven,"  his  own  description  of  the  closing  hours 
of  a  just  man's  life,  written  thirty-six  years  before, 
was  singularly  applicable. 

1838.  The  Lake  of  Constance.  The  sun  is  just 
setting,  and  the  very  heavens  seem  to  be  in  unison 
with  the  scene.  The  clouds,  on  a  blue  ground,  have 
a  rich  and  ruddy  hue,  and  the  outer  edges  are 
wreathed  with  silver.  The  Lake  is  an  almost  un* 
broken  mirror.  Behind  me  how  different  the  scene 
— dark  and  murky  clouds  are  hanging  over  the 
snow-clad  Alps. 

Now  we  are  entering  the  little  harbor  of  Con* 
stance — the  boat  is  moving  slowly ;  the  sun  seems 
to  be  setting  almost  behind  the  waters,  rising  and 
sinking  at  the  moment  of  his  departure,  leaving  a 
golden  stream  on  the  edges  of  the  neighboring 
clouds,  reminding  me  of  the  last  hours  of  a  just 
man's  life — calmly,  as  the  setting  sun,  his  day  closes, 
and  the  bright  light  of  his  example  is  left  to  edify 
and  gladden  the  world. 

John  Ha&keWs  Journal. 

Friday  evening.  Dr.  Rude  has  arrived.  Aunt 
Julia  B.  crossed  the  room  just  now.  Grandfather 
asked,  "Who  is  it?"  On  being  told,  he  said/'/ 
love  her — I  love  you  all"  (Those  were  his  last  words.) 

Monday  evening.  He  has  slept  through  to-day, 
scarcely  breathing. 

Tuesday.  In  the  early  morning,  Aunts  Jane  and 
C.  sent  me  to  get  a  little  rest.  During  the  night, 
grandfather  would,  apparently,  cease  to  breathe — 
these  cessations  lasted  for  about  thirty  seconds.  At 
9.20  A.  M.,  Aunt  C.  awoke  me.  saying  that  one  of  the 


428  John  Bachman. 

cessations  of  breathing  was  longer  than  usual.  I 
went  down  and  watched  for  a  minute.  The  grand 
spirit  had  departed — asleep  to  the  troubles  of  earth, 
awake  to  the  bliss  of  eternity  ! 

Rev.  Mr.  Dosh,  Mr.  Henry  Steinmeyer,  and  myself 
robed  him  in  the  silk  gown  that  the  ladies  of  his  con- 
gregation  had  made  him,  and  we  bore  him  in  our 
arms  to  the  drawing-room.  He  looks  so  placid,  calm, 
peaceful,  beautiful,  like  a  saint — and  he  was  a  saint  f 

All  day  long  the  people  are  coming — how  the^ 
love  him  !  Old  and  young,  rich  and  poor,  refined 
and  rough — all  weep  over  him — they  kiss  him  and 
call  him  father  and  friend.  The  love  that  this  pure 
spirit  won  from  all  who  came  in  contact  with  him- 
is  wonderful. 

Wednesday.  Crowds  have  been  here  to-day.  Little 
children  asked  to  be  lifted  in  our  arms  to  kiss  him* 
A  strong,  -rough  mechanic,  with  tears  in  his  eyes, 
kissed  his  brow  and  eyes.  Clergymen  of  every  de- 
nomination have  called. 

Rev.  Dr.  Girardeau  came,  and  said :  "  Your 
grandfather  introduced  me  to  the  hospitals ;  he  took 
-me  into  the  wards,  while  he  talked  with  ill  and 
dying  men  in  their  own  tongues — German,  Dutch* 
etc.  I  wondered  how  he  could  get  through  his  pas- 
toral duties,  and  yet  find  time  to  do  so  much  in  the 
hospitals.  I  never  saw  a  man  as  active  as  he  in 
every  time  of  public  calamity." 

Until  late  at  night  they  came — whites  and  col-; 
ored— every  station  was  represented.  Hundreds 
said,  "  He  baptized  me." 


,  The  Funeral.  429. 

St.  MichaePs  Church  (Episcopal)  called  a  meeting 
to-day  to  give  expression  to  their  respect  and  admi* 
ration  for  him — they,  request  permission  to  toll  their 
bell — old  St.  Michael's  peal — for  him.  This  is  a  touch- 
ing and  beautiful  tribute — a  Christian  sympathy 
that  rises  high  above  all  non-essential  differences. 

Thursday,  26th.  At  ten  o'clock  the  obsequies  took 
place.  His  remains,  in  a  metallic  casket,  were  borne 
to  St.  John's  Church.  The  pall -bearers  were  all 
selected  from  the  congregation.  The  faculty  of 
"The  Charleston  College  suspended  the  exercises  of 
the  College.  The  funeral  cortege  from  the  home 
was  very  large,  and  the  Church  densely  crowded." 
•  St.  John's  had  not  been  draped  in  mourning  by 
stranger  hands — her  sons  and  daughters  performed 
this  "  labor  of  love."  Everywhere  white  was  inter- 
woven with  the  black — mourning  below— joy  above. 

The  services  were  conducted  by  Revs.  T.  W.  Dosh, 
J.  H.  Honour,  L.  Miiller.  W.  S.  Bowman,  and  A.  R. 
&ude,  D.  D. 

The  body  was  interred  in  a  vault  beneath  the 
altar,  above  which  rested  a  sable  bier,  concealed  by 
a  wealth  of  floral  offerings. 

The  next  Sunday,  March  1st,  a  smitten  flock 
gathered  sadly  in  St.  John's.  The  co-pastor,  Rev. 
T.  W.  Dosh,  preached  from  the  text:  Psalms  xxxix  : 
"  Lord,  make  me  to  know  mine  end"  He  touchingly 
dwelt  upon  the  long  and  faithful  labors  of  their 
aged,  departed  Pastor. 

Tributes  were  offered  by  most  of  the  pulpits  in 
Charleston. 


430  John  Bachman. 

Love,  fruitful  in  devices,  kept  the  bier  within  the 
altar  covered  for  six  months,  with  fragrant  flowers — 
the  emblems  of  the  resurrection. 

[From  Lutheran  Visitor,  by  the  Editor,  A.  R.  Rude,  D.  P.] 

Died,  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  Tuesday,  February  24th, 
at  930,  "A.  M.,  Reo.  John  'Bachman,  D.  D., 
LL.  D.,  D.  Ph.,  Aged  84  Years  and  20  Days, 

Fully  prepared  long  ago,  watching,  waiting;  for, 
as  he  often  had  declared,  his  work  was  done;  calmly, 
peacefully,  without  a  sigh,  he  slept,  the  spirit  went 
to  Jesus,  and  those  who  stood  around  the  bed  could 
not  tell  whether  it  was  life  or  death. 

Honored  by  all  who  knew  him,  loved  by  all  whom 
he  ministered  to  in  holy  things,  a  wise  counsellor, 
a  devoted  friend,  a  learned  man,  a  fervent  patriot, 
but,  best  of  all,  a  devoted  Christian,  a  faithful 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  an  example  to  all;  in  him 
his  family,  society,  and  the  Church  have  lost  one 
whose  like  we  know  not  where  to  seek,  whose  place 
we  know  not  who  can  fill.  Even  for  the  last  two 
years,  when  unable  to  appear  in  public,  unable  to 
serve  at  the  altar  and  in  the  pulpit,  and  confined  to 
the  house  and  the  sick-room,  he  yet  was  a  tower  of 
strength,  a  shining  and  burning  light,  and  a  living 
witness  of  the  blessed  truth,  that  "  now  abideth 
Faith,  Hope  and  Charity,  these  three,  but  tho 
greatest  of  these  is  Charity?' 

Though  a  learned  man,  though  he  had  known 
every  plant  '*  From  the  Jn/ssop  on  the  ivall,  to  t/ie 
cedar  on  Lebanon  "  every  beast,  creeping  thing  and 
bird  of  many  lands,  he,  during  the  closing  years, 
forgot  all.  The  works  he  lost  sight  of.  the  Work- 
man, the  Creator,  he  remembered  ;  the  sciences 
were  to  him  things  of  the  dead  pa<4 ;  the  Bible  was 
to  the  last  his  precious  all.  The  Psalms,  the  words 


Dr.  Rude's  Tribute.  431  - 

of  Jesus,  were  as  manna  to  his  soul ;  on  these  he 
fed,  by  these  his  soul's  life  was  sustained,  and  his 
spirit  strengthened  for  its  upward  flight. 

It  was  not  our  privilege  to  know  him  many 
years,  but  we  do  rejoice  and  feel  that  it  was  good  for 
us  to  know  him  well  during  the  beautiful  and  holy 
sunset  of  his  long,  eventful  and  noble  Christian  life. 
For  years  before  we  met  him,  we  had  heard  much  of 
him.  His  praise  was  in  all  the  Churches.  We 
were  proud  of  him,  we  felt  stronger  because  he  was 
one  of  us  and  with  us,  and  we  loved  him,  because  all 
bore  witness  to  his  love  for  Christ,  the  Church  and 
the  brethren. 

At  last  we  met.  Our  first  meeting  was  in  Virginia, 
during  the  war.  He  had  come  from  his  far-off 
home  in  '*  the  City  by  the  Sea/'  to  minister  to  the 
physical  and  spiritual  wants  of  the  soldiers  from  his 
adopted  State.  The  next  time  we  met  was  at  Con- 
cord, N.  C.t  where  he,  by  his  wise  counsel  and  gentle 
firmness,  contributed  largely  to  the  formation  of  our 
General  Synod,  of  which  he  was  the  first  President. 
After  that  we  enjoyed  the  genial  hospitalities  of  his 
pleasant  home,  and  then  we  met  again  and  again  in 
Columbia,  Charleston,  at  the  meetings  of  the  Gene- 
ral Synod  and  the  Synod  of  South  Carolina .  In  sor- 
row and  in  joy,  at  the  cradle  and  the  grave  our  in- 
tercourse was  always  pleasant,  Our  communion 
always  blessed  ;  we  feel  that  we  owe  him  much,  that 
his  counsels,  his  prayers,  his  example,  his  suffering, 
his  faith,  hope  and  love  so  transcendantly  displayed 
in  the  most  trying  circumstances,  have  made  us 
better,  and  brought  us  nearer  the  heavenly  gates.  He 
entered  in  before  us;  a  host  of  washed  and  blood- 
bought  souls,  whose  spiritual  father  in  the  Lord  he 
was,  have  welcomed  him ;  and  here  below,  still 
waiting  and  serving,  is  a  large  multitude  whom  he 
taught  to  love  the  name  of  Jesus. 


432  John  Bachman. 

One  thing  we  must  not  pass  over,  and  that  is  his 
clear  comprehension  and  his  unconditional  reception 
of,  his  fervent  attachment  for,  and  his  adherence  to, 
the  Confession  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church. 
The    Lord    himself  was    his   teacher.     And   to  us 
and   to  many  others  it  was  a   constant  cause   for 
gratitude  and  rejoicing  that  the  grayhai red  soldier  of 
the  Cross  during  the  last  years  of  his  life  bore  such 
unequivocal,  constant   and  firm  testimony  to   the 
articles  of  our  faith,  as  set  forth  in  the  Augustana. 
Verily  he  was  a  true  and  faithful  witness ;  he  did  a- 
great  and  good  work;  many  shall  rise  up  and  call, 
him  blessed;  and  though  dead,   he   yet   speaketh,. 
yes,  and   speak  he  will,  to  the  close   of  time  and 
throughout  eternity. 

And  he  is  dead  !  For  years  we  had  expected  it 
We  watched  at  his  bedside,  but  did  not  see  him  die, 
for  he  died  so  gently,  so  sweetly,  nay,  he  rather  went 
to  sleep,  and  he  now  sleeps  in  Jesus,  in  whom  he 
believed,  and  whom  he  loved ;  and  served  as  a 
preacher  of  His  great  salvation  for  more  than  four- 
score years,  and  who  was  his  refuge  and  is  his  rest 

.  On  Sunday,  March  8th,  amid  the  emblems  of 
mourning,  and  in  sight  of  the  flower-crowned  bier, 
St.  John's  put  on  record  her  tribute  of  affection  and 
esteem  for  John  Bachman,  the  servant  of  God,  who- 
"  from  early  manhood  until  the  close  of  a  long  life, 
went  in  and  out  before  his  people,  as  a  priest  in  the 
temple  of  Jehovah." 

The  Preamble  and  Resolutions  were  offered  by 
one  of  the  Vestry,  John  F.  Ficken,  Esq. 

Sunday,  April  26th.  Memorial  services  were  held 
in  St.  John's  Church,  conducted  by  the  Pastor,  Rev. 
T.  W.  Dosh,  assisted  by  Revds.  J.  H.  Honour,  L. 


The  Memorial.  433 

Miiller,  W.  S.  Bowman,  and  J.  Fry,  D.  D.,  of  Read- 
ing, Pa. 

The  Pastor's  text  was  from  Proverbs  x.  7,  "  Trie 
'memory  of  the  just  is  blessed" 

He  closed  his  chaste  eulogy  on  the  departed, 
with  the  following  beautiful  tribute  from  Professor 
W.  J.  Rivers,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  formerly  of  Charles- 
ton, S.  C.  Professor  Rivers  had  sat  under  the  teach- 
ing of  Dr.  Bachman,  from  childhood  to  manhood. 

REV.  JOHN  BACHMAN,  D.  D. 

In  life  or  death  no  evil  can  befall 

The  pure  in  heart :  Their  pains  and  griefs  but  serve 

As  trials  here,  while  at  the  gate  of  death 

God's  angels  stand  and  watch  their  coming  steps 

To  lead  them  on  to  endless  peace  in  Heaven. 

By  faith  uplifted,  they  disdain  as  dross 
This  world's  false  glory  and  its  fleeting  wealth, 
And  count  not  aught  their  own  save  that  which  is 
Forever  theirs :  Their  peace,  their  love  to  man, 
Their  holiness  engendered  in  the  soul, 
Which  thereby  to  the  likeness  of  its  God 
Redeemed,  is  with  angelic  glory  crowned. 

This  is  thy  wreath,  the  fruitage  of  a  life 
Of  prayer  and  pious  deeds — thy  peace,  thy  crown. 
Thy  home  in  Heaven,  bless'd  minister  of  Christ ! 

Though  with  her  treasures  Science  wooed  thy  mind, 
And  Nature  brought,  as  to  her  votary,  flowers 
And  fruits,  and  from  each  distant  region,  bird 
And  beast,  as  erst  in  Eden,  to  be  named — 
Still  ever  to  the  Father's  will-revealed, 
Pure  fountain  of  His  truth,  thy  thought  was  turned; 
And  ever,  with  unquestioning  trust,  was  heard 
His  mandate  to  go  forth  and  preach  His  Word, 
That  haply  it  might  kindle  in  our  souls 
The  faith  and  love  and  hope  that  quickened  thine. 

Guide  to  the  wanderer,  helper  of  the  wronged, 
The  orphan's  guardian  and  the  widow's  friend, 
Sweet  counsellor  to  all.    O  !  if  from  Heaven 
All  else  of  sinful  earth  should  be  debarred 


434  John  Badiman. 

Save  guileless  love,  and  such  a  love  as  ours 
An  entrance  hath — conies  there  not  now  to  greet 
Thy  happy  soul  the  whispered  words  we  breathe 
From  mournful  hearts,  as  bending  o'er  thy  grave 
These  wreaths  we  strow  and  fondly  bless  thy  name? 

The  Synod  of  South  Carolina,  on  its  50th  Jubilee 
determined  to  raise  a  fund  to  be  called  : 

u  The  Bachman  Endowment  Fund  of  Newberry 
College:' 

"  A  grateful  tribute  to  the  memory  of  John  Bach- 
man, through  whom  pre-eminently  the  Synod  and 
College  had  their  origin." 

A  mural  tablet  in  the  Church  of  St.  John's, 
Charleston,  bears  the  following  inscription  : 

SACRED 
To  the  Memory  of 

REV.  JOHN  BACHMAN"  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

Born  in  Rhinebeck, 

"Dutchess  County,  State  of  New  York, 

4th  Feb.,  A.  D.  1790, 

Died  in  this  City 

24th  Feb.,  A.  D.  1874, 

Distinguished  in  Science, 

Eminent  for  Piety,  Brave  and  Faithful 

in  devotion  to  God  and  his  Church. 

For  sixty  years  he  was  the  beloved 

and  revered  Pastor  of  this  Congregation, 

commanding  the  unbounded  esteem 

of  a  whole  community. 

His  Remains  Repose  under  the  Altar 

of  this  Church. 


APPENDIX. 


LIST  OF  DR,  BACHMAN'S  PUBLISHED  WORKS, 


Address  delivered  before  the  Horticultural  Society  of 
Charleston,  8.  C.  July,  1833. 

On  the  Migration  of  the  Birds  of  North  America.  Pub- 
lished in  1833. 

Catalogue  of  Phaenogamous  Plants  and  Ferns,  native  and 
naturalized,  growing  in  the  vicinity  of  Charleston,  8.  C. 
Published  in  1834. 

Experiments  made  on  the  Habits  of  Vultures  inhabiting 
Carolina— Turkey  Buzzard  and  Carrion  Crow.  Pub- 
lished in  1834. 

Contributions  in  the  Southern  Agricultural  Journal,  pub- 
lished as  editorials,  from  1835  to  1840. 

Monograph  of  the  Hares  of  America,  including  several  un- 
described  species.  Published  in  1837. 

Monograph  of  the  Genus  Sciurus,  including  several  new 
species.  Published  in  Transactions  of  the  Zoological 
Society,  London,  1838. 

The  Changes  in  the  colors  of  Feathers  in  Birds,  and  of  Hair 
in  Animals.  Published  in  Philosophical  Transactions, 
Philadelphia,  1839. 

Address  before  the  Washington  Total  Abstinence  Society. 
July,  1842. 

Sermon  against  Duelling,  about  1842. 

the  Quadrupeds  of  North  America.  (3  Volumes.)  Pub- 
lished jointly  with  Audubon.  Figures  by  Audubon, 
text  by  Bachman.  (The  first  volume  appeared  in  1845, 
the  last  in  1849). 


436  Appendix. 

On  the  Introduction  and  Propagation  of  Fresh-water  Fish. 

Published  about  1848. 
The  Doctrine  of  the  Unity  of  the  Human  Race,  examined 

on  the  Principles  of  Science.    Published  in  1850. 
Defence  of  Luther  and  the  Reformation.     Published  in  1853. 
Notice  of  the  Types  of  Mankind  (by  Nott  &  Gliddon),  with 

an  examination  of  the  Charges  contained  in  the  Life  of 

Dr.  Morton.    Published  in  1854,   in   "The  Charleston 

Medical  Journal." 
An   Examination  of  the  Characteristics  of  Genera    and 

Species,  as  applicable  to  the  Doctrine  of  the  Unity  of 

the  Human  Race.    Published  in  1855. 
An  Examination  of  Prof.  Agassiz's  Sketch  of  the  Natural 

Provinces  of  the  Animal  World,  and  their  relation  to 

the  different  types  of  men.    Published  in  1855. 
Address  delivered  at  the  Laying  of  the  Corner-stone  of 

Newberry  College,  18c7. 
Report  on  Asiatic   Goats.     Published  by  order  of  "Tho 

Southern  Central  Association  of  Georgia,"  in  1857. 
Sermon  on  the  Forty-Third  Anniversary  of  his  Ministry 

in  Charleston. 


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